Study of New Biomarkers and Mechanisms of Synaptic Damage in Multiple Sclerosis Including Analysis of Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples With Genotyping and Ex Vivo Models

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to identify new biomarkers linked to synaptic damage in Multiple Sclerosis MS and to study the mechanisms that contribute to this damage. It involves both prospective and retrospective observation over about five years, analyzing blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples taken for diagnostic reasons. The study includes patients with MS, other chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, and healthy subjects as control groups. Participants undergo procedures including lumbar puncture and blood sampling to measure microRNAs, cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, neuronal damage markers like tau proteins and neurofilaments, mitochondrial markers lactate, and free d-amino acids. The study also evaluates synaptic changes using an ex vivo chimeric model of MS with patch-clamp techniques and conducts genotyping to find gene variants associated with synaptic transmission alterations and clinical parameters. Throughout the study, researchers monitor these biomarkers and genetic factors to predict disease progression and identify potential therapeutic targets. Participants provide samples for various laboratory analyses, including SNPs analysis, and clinical assessments such as the Expanded Disability Status Scale EDSS and disease activity indices. The studys main outcome is to identify predictive biomarkers using the ex vivo model, with secondary goals to find new therapeutic targets for MS.

Biomarkers of Synaptic Damage in Multiple Sclerosis