Older age linked to more blood DNA mutations in multiple sclerosis

Older age was associated with more mutations that altered protein-making instructions. Analyses by disease course suggested that the link was substantially driven by 238 people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, which worsens from the outset. Researchers found no association among 155 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, marked by attacks followed by partial or complete recovery. In fast-progressing patients, older age was linked to a higher mutation rate. Slow-progressing patients showed the opposite trend. The authors concluded that age-related patterns of mitochondrial mutations detected in blood differed across disease courses.