Identifying Risk Factors for Developing MS After Radiologically Isolated Syndrome (RIS)

Radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) is diagnosed when MRI scans reveal changes that resemble multiple sclerosis (MS), but the person has not yet developed any MS symptoms. People with RIS have a higher likelihood of developing MS, with more than half progressing within ten years. In this study, researchers followed 273 individuals with RIS for five years, analyzing spinal fluid, blood proteins, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and sun exposure to identify predictors of MS onset.

During the study, 37% of participants went on to develop MS symptoms, with several inflammatory and nerve damage–related proteins linked to higher risk. People who had greater exposure to sunlight were less likely to develop MS symptoms. Understanding these risk and protective factors could help clinicians identify high-risk individuals earlier and make more informed treatment decisions to delay or prevent MS progression.

MRI scan of an individual with radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS). The bright white spots represent lesions, which are areas of nerve cell damage that can appear before MS symptoms develop.

Reference: Fissolo, N., Schaedelin, S., Villar, L. M., Lünemann, J. D., Correale, J., Rejdak, K., ... & RIS Study Group. (2025). Prognostic Factors for Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in Radiologically Isolated Syndrome. JAMA neurology

Image Reference: American Journal of Neuroradiology