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Children with MS show signs of ageing up to two years faster than their peers, study finds
Children diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) appear to show signs of accelerated biological ageing, according to new findings that could reshape understanding of the disease’s long-term effects.
Researchers studying DNA from children and teenagers with MS found patterns indicating they were biologically older than their healthy counterparts, despite being the same age in years.
The study examined 125 children with MS and compared them with 145 children without the condition.
Researchers analysed DNA methylation — chemical modifications to DNA that act as markers of biological ageing, which differs from chronological age, or the number of years a person has lived.
MS is a lifelong autoimmune disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
The immune system mistakenly attacks the protective coating on nerve fibres, leading to inflammation and damage that interferes with communication between the brain and the body.
Researchers found that children with MS showed signs of accelerated ageing based on four different epigenetic clocks — tools that use molecular changes in DNA to estimate a person’s biological age.
The children studied had an average chronological age of 15, but those most affected by MS appeared to be biologically up to two years older.
Jennifer Graves is professor and vice chair of neurosciences at UC San Diego.
She said: “We found evidence that children living with MS experience accelerated biological ageing.
“Compared to young people without MS, youth with MS had evidence of accelerated epigenetic age, a measurement of DNA chemical modifications associated with ageing.
“We know that ageing is related to the development of a less treatable form of MS and that adults with MS face both normal ageing and accelerated ageing from the disease.”
Biological age has previously been linked to faster disability progression in adults with MS.
The findings suggest this process may begin much earlier than previously thought — potentially even before any clinical signs of worsening appear.
Graves said: “This is a whole new concept in MS.
“Ageing isn’t something we think of affecting teenagers. But these kids are accumulating cellular damage that may not show up clinically until years later, when they suddenly transition from doing fine to disease progression in their 30s.
“It is a significant finding to see this accelerated ageing in children.
“If we can understand the interplay between the immune system, the brain and ageing — and break that open — we might be able to put MS into full remission in the future.”
The researchers hope to follow participants over time to explore how early biological ageing affects long-term disability.
They also plan to examine the impact of environmental exposures, obesity and social stress — particularly in light of the higher incidence of paediatric MS among children from lower-income backgrounds.
Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drug treatment can access it, the WHO warns in its first guidance on obesity medicines.
With more than one billion people now obese and projections suggesting this could exceed two billion by 2030, the UN health agency is calling for wider and fairer access to GLP-1 medications.
High costs, limited production capacity and supply chain constraints are major barriers to access, the WHO said.
The medicines are already on the WHO essential medicines list for overweight patients with diabetes.
“Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“While medication alone won’t solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 therapies can help millions overcome obesity and reduce its associated harms.
He added: “Our greatest concern is equitable access.”
GLP-1 drugs mimic a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness, which helps people eat less.
People often start losing weight within weeks of weekly injections, though many regain weight within a year of stopping as appetite returns.
In the UK, these injections are prescription-only medicines. Some are available on the NHS, while more are sold privately.
The WHO warns against buying from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media.
Even in the best projected scenario, production could cover around 100 million people, under 10 per cent of those who need them, the WHO said.
The guidance urges countries and pharmaceutical companies to expand access through measures such as voluntary licensing, which lets other manufacturers produce affordable non-branded versions of patented drugs.
A patent on semaglutide, the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, is due to expire in several countries in 2026, allowing cheaper versions in markets including India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey.
Being overweight or obese raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Obesity was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
Dementia has overtaken cancer as the disease Britons fear most, with one in three adults naming it their greatest health concern, new research finds.
The findings come from the New Ageing Index, described as the first project to track how the UK thinks and feels about ageing and care over an extended period.
Fear of dementia among family carers rose from 27 per cent to 31 per cent over the 12-month study, while fear of cancer fell from 30 per cent to 21 per cent.
Researchers suggest decades of progress in cancer treatment and survival are shifting perceptions, while dementia remains poorly understood and devastating for families.
The research, commissioned by home care provider Home Instead and conducted by Savanta, also finds mounting pressure on unpaid family carers.
More than two in five (43 per cent) of those supporting a relative with dementia say they have left employment to do so, up from 37 per cent just 10 months earlier.
The proportion of family carers saying they need more support has risen from 68 per cent to 77 per cent since the study began.
Martin Jones, chief executive of Home Instead UK and International, said: “Over the past year, we’ve seen a clear shift in how Britain views ageing and care. Dementia has become our greatest fear, and the strain on families caring for loved ones is growing.
“If we can’t cure dementia, we must at least care better, for those living with the disease and for the families supporting them.
“The findings show the public is ready for change. It’s time for the government, business and policymakers to listen and act.”
Public frustration with state social care provision appears to be deepening.
Half of UK adults (51 per cent) now believe the sector should be taken out of government control, and more families are considering private care options, up from 46 per cent to 50 per cent.
Demand among family carers for government investment in dementia research rose from 84 per cent to 92 per cent across the four waves of research.
Dr Michelle Hamill, a clinical psychologist, said: “It’s natural to feel frightened when thinking about dementia.
“The condition is often surrounded by misinformation, dehumanising language, and inadequate support systems, all of which reinforce the belief that nothing can be done to help.
“While dementia does affect a person’s abilities and awareness over time, it does not erase identity or diminish a lifetime of experiences.
“Many people continue to find purpose, meaning, and joy, especially when given the right care and understanding.”
UK deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias hit their highest level since records began, with 6,612 fatalities last year, new research has revealed.
The death rate has more than doubled over the past two decades, making dementia one of Scotland’s leading causes of death, responsible for one in ten fatalities.
Nearly two-thirds of those dying from these conditions are women, with 85 per cent of deaths occurring among people aged over 80.
National Records of Scotland (NRS) data show deaths from Alzheimer’s and related dementias rose from 2,013 in 2000, a mortality rate of 56 per 100,000, to 6,612 last year, a rate of 122 per 100,000.
The average age of death from these conditions is 87, with death rates rising as more people reach the oldest age groups.
Age Scotland chief executive Katherine Crawford said the rise in deaths year on year was a “stark reminder that much more must be done to support those affected.”
When cases where Alzheimer’s and dementias contributed to death are included, the total rises to 10,618 deaths.
This broader measure is at its lowest level since 2014, indicating an overall decline in mortality rates linked to these conditions.
Death rates in Scotland’s most deprived areas are 1.3 times higher than in the least deprived areas, though this gap is smaller than for deaths from all causes, which are twice as high in the most deprived areas.
Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of deaths from Alzheimer’s and other dementias occurred in care homes, with 4,258 deaths taking place in such settings.
The rising death toll reflects both Scotland’s ageing population and improved diagnosis rates, with healthcare professionals becoming better at identifying dementia as a cause of death rather than attributing deaths to other conditions.
Scotland’s dementia strategy aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and support for people living with the condition and their families.
The Scottish government has committed to increasing funding for dementia research and improving post-diagnostic support services.
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