Faculty of Medicine

Trigger for multiple sclerosis discovered – blood clotting factor is crucial

This could be the crucial breakthrough we’ve been waiting for to establish what it is that triggers multiple sclerosis (MS). In association with colleagues from the University of Münster, Prof. Christoph Kleinschnitz and his team have been able to demonstrate a connection between the blood coagulation system and the emergence of MS for the very first time. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is most commonly found in young adults, with around 140,000 patients diagnosed in Germany alone. The disease occurs in episodes, the side-effects of which include visual impairments, paralysis or even balance disorders that could all lead to lasting disabilities.