Health and wellness

What makes some brains more resilient in MS progression?

UM researchers exploring how our DNA can predict MS decline

Kaarina Kowalec 3
Estimated Read Time:
4 minutes
Dr. Kaarina Kowalec, Associate Professor, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
Dr. Kaarina Kowalec, Associate Professor, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
Estimated Read Time:
4 minutes

For Dr. Kaarina Kowalec, multiple sclerosis (MS) isn’t just an area of research interest – it’s personal. Growing up with a mother living with MS shaped her understanding of the disease and inspired her commitment to advancing research in the field. Her work now focuses on uncovering the genetic complexities of MS progression as patients age. 

“Seeing how MS impacts my mother has given me a firsthand understanding of the challenges people face,” says Kowalec. “It shapes my research program and inspires me to be part of the solution.”  

Canada has among the highest rates of MS in the world with Manitobans impacted in large numbers. Kowalec’s research offers hope to healthcare providers and patients seeking innovative therapies to help slow both physical and cognitive decline.

Seeing how MS impacts my mother has given me a firsthand understanding of the challenges people face.

Dr. Kaarina Kowalec

group of researchers outdoors
Research team from left to right: Md. Aziz, Hayley Riel, Monserrat Rodriguez, Kaarina Kowalec, Urmi Das, Francisca Jacobo, Gerald Trojillo, Mira Safa, Mina Shirinbakhshmasoleh

New study on MS and Aging

Today, she is an associate professor in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, contributing to global MS research by exploring how genetics influence the progression of this disease.

Not everyone with MS experiences the same pace of physical or mental decline. Some people remain active for decades, while others see a rapid progression of symptoms. Kowalec’s research aims to uncover why – and use that knowledge to help people with MS live longer, healthier lives.

Thanks to new funding from the U.S. Department of the Army (USAMRAA), Military Medical Research and Development program, Kowalec and her team will conduct a first-of-its-kind study on aging and the progression of MS.

Emerging evidence suggests that aging can play a significant role in accelerating disability among individuals diagnosed with MS. Experts emphasize that early identification of those with lower resilience, or reserves, could help guide personalized treatment to help slow progression of the disease and improve long-term outcomes.  

The idea of “reserve” in aging

Faced with complex health problems of an ageing population scientists are turning their attention to the concept of reserve. This term describes the body’s inherent ability to manage and adapt to the effects of aging or damage. There are two distinct types of reserve that Kowalec and her team will investigate brain reserve and physical reserve.

Brain reserve reflects the brain’s resilience to damage and is often assessed through intracranial volume, a measure of the overall size of the brain. Someone with a bigger brain could take longer for disease to impact their life.

Physical reserve encompasses the body’s capacity to slow physical decline, typically assessed by observing a person’s dexterity and walking gait or speed. Someone with better finger dexterity, or a strong gait might take longer for MS to impact movement.

By looking at the genetic underpinnings of brain and physical reserves, Kowalec aims to develop a foundation for innovative and individualized treatments for people with MS.

We all have a unique genetic score that gives hints about our risks for certain illnesses as we age.

Dr. Kaarina Kowalec

Genetic scoring and MS progression

Kowalec and her international research team from Canada, the United States and Sweden, will examine how genetics influence the brain and physical reserves in people with MS.

The researchers will use genetics data from MS clinics and open-source data repositories including UM’s Statistical Genomics and Bioinformatics (SGB) Platform and will engage the services of experts at George and Fey Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation (housed at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences).

They will analyze genetic markers, or scores, associated with ageing and other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, in connection with brain and physical reserve in people with MS.

“We all have a unique genetic score that gives hints about our risks for certain illnesses as we age,” says Kowalec. “By looking at thousands of different genetic scores, we will be able to summarize the likelihood of developing a certain health condition based on DNA.”

Dr. Kowalec in her lab
Dr. Kaarina Kowalec

The genetic scores will show the team how genetic traits that are not directly related to MS might still affect people as they age. They believe that genes linked to general aging and other health conditions can help explain why some people with MS experience slower progression or less disability.

“We are specifically interested to see if inherited genetic scores tied to aging and associated brain and physical reserves are key drivers of how people with MS react to the disease,” says Kowalec. “If we can determine what plays a role in progression of symptoms then we have a good basis for determining individualized treatment options that reflect a person’s specific genetic profile.”

This study marks a bold step forward in the search for new therapeutic targets in multiple sclerosis. Uncovering the genetic links and understanding physical and brain reserves in aging populations could help inform future drug development and pave the way for personalized treatment strategies.

While it may take years for these findings to be translate into changes to patient care, in the long term it provides hope to people with MS. In the quest to improve quality of life for those living with MS, Kowalec and her team offer a crucial foundation on which future breakthroughs can be built.

Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.