06/06/2026
Experts just identified the gut bacteria that triggers multiple sclerosis.
Conducted by scientists at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the study uniquely controlled for genetic and environmental variables by examining genetically identical siblings.
In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers studying 81 pairs of identical twins—where only one sibling had multiple sclerosis (MS)—have pinpointed two specific strains of gut bacteria that appear to trigger the disease.
The researchers identified Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium, which were significantly more prevalent in the siblings with MS. When these gut microbes were introduced to mouse models, they directly triggered MS-like symptoms, showcasing a functional link between the microbiome and autoimmune disease.
This discovery marks the most precise identification of MS-related bacterial triggers to date, offering compelling evidence for the gut-brain axis in chronic autoimmune disorders. While further human clinical trials are essential, the findings open transformative possibilities for early detection and therapy. By specifically targeting or modifying these gut bacteria, future medical treatments could potentially slow, halt, or even prevent the onset of MS entirely before symptoms emerge.
source: Yoon, H., Gerdes, L. A., Beigel, F., Sun, Y., Kövilein, J., Wang, J., Kuhlmann, T., Flierl-Hecht, A., Haller, D., Hohlfeld, R., Baranzini, S. E., Wekerle, H., & Peters, A. (2025). Multiple sclerosis and gut microbiota: Lachnospiraceae from the ileum of MS twins trigger MS-like disease in germfree transgenic mice—An unbiased functional study. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(18).
