Multiple sclerosis is an immune system condition where the myelin sheath of nerve cells is damaged. This means that nerves carry messages less efficiently, and need more energy to compensate.
New research has shown that nerves have a natural ability to boost energy supplies after being damaged by moving mitochondria to the damaged part of the nerve, in a process called ARMD (axonal response of mitochondria to demyelination).
While this natural ability is not enough alone to compensate, it has been found that an existing drug - pioglitazone - can further increase the number of mitochondria. Using this drug for MS treatment is now in clinical trial.
Source: feature in MS News, Sept. 2020
