APOE4 gene variant linked to greater nerve damage in MS: Study

Carriers also showed signs of cognitive decline, more brain tissue damage

Written by Patricia Inacio, PhD | March 17, 2026

• The APOE4 gene variant is linked to worse outcomes in MS patients.
• Carriers show greater nerve damage and slower cognitive processing.
• This variant may act as a genetic modifier, increasing multiple sclerosis severity.

A genetic variant strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease may also worsen neurological damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study.

Researchers found that MS patients carrying the APOE4 variant showed greater signs of neurodegeneration than those without it, including higher levels of nerve damage biomarkers, greater brain tissue damage, and slower cognitive processing.

The findings suggest “greater disease severity and worse health outcomes in MS patients who are APOE4 carriers,” researchers wrote.

The study, “Apolipoprotein E4 and its later-life health effects on the multiple sclerosis population,” was published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical.

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