The Genetic Link Between Northern Europeans and Multiple Sclerosis: A Study in Nature Reveals the Complex History of Human Migration and Disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the nervous system.
Northern Europeans have a higher risk of developing MS than other ancestries, and this can be attributed to genetic factors passed down from horseback-riding cattle herders who migrated into the region about 5,000 years ago. The Yamnaya people also carried gene variants that increase people's risk of developing MS.
The study published in Nature provides evidence for this connection and sheds light on the complex history of human migration and disease.
The Genetic Link Between Northern Europeans and Multiple Sclerosis: A Study in Nature Reveals the Complex History of Human Migration and Disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the nervous system. It has been found that northern Europeans have a higher risk of developing MS than other ancestries, and this can be attributed to genetic factors passed down from horseback-riding cattle herders who migrated into the region about 5,000 years ago. The Yamnaya people, who moved from Ukraine and Russia into northwestern Europe around the same time, also carried gene variants that increase people's risk of developing MS. These genetic factors may have provided an advantage to these nomadic herders in terms of resistance to certain diseases or parasites, but they also put them at a higher risk for MS later on. The study published in Nature provides evidence for this connection and sheds light on the complex history of human migration and disease.


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Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It's not clear if other environmental or lifestyle factors may also contribute to a higher risk of developing MS in northern Europeans.
  • The study only looked at gene variants and did not consider the role of other genetic mutations that could be involved.

Sources

68%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Ancient steppe herders brought higher risk of MS to northern Europe

theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Wednesday, 10 January 2024 23:08
  • Unique Points
    • Ancient DNA helps explain why northern Europeans have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis than other ancestries.
    • The genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5,000 years ago is responsible for this increased risk.
    • Research published in the journal Nature found that gene variants carried by Bronze Age people called the Yamnaya, which moved from Ukraine and Russia into northwestern Europe, increase people's risk of multiple sclerosis. These variants were giving these people an advantage of some kind.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that 'the disease is a genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5,000 years ago.' However, this statement implies that all people from northern Europe have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis due to their ancestors being cattle herders. This is not true as there are many other factors that contribute to the prevalence of MS in certain populations. Secondly, the author states that 'the Yamnaya flourished, widely spreading those variants.' However, this statement implies that all people from northern Europe have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis due to their ancestors being successful and widespread. This is not true as there are many other factors that contribute to the prevalence of MS in certain populations. Thirdly, the author states that 'those genes probably also protected the nomadic herders from infections carried by their cattle and sheep.' However, this statement implies that all people from northern Europe have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis due to their ancestors being successful at protecting themselves against infections. This is not true as there are many other factors that contribute to the prevalence of MS in certain populations.
    • The disease is a genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5,000 years ago.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the findings of a study published in Nature without providing any evidence or context for those findings. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by stating that either multiple sclerosis is caused by genetic variants carried from northern Europeans or it is not caused at all. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric when the author describes MS as
    • Bias (85%)
      The article presents a clear example of ideological bias. The author uses language that portrays the Yamnaya as 'nomadic herders' and implies that their lifestyle was inferior to other ways of life. This is an attempt to present one side as extreme or unreasonable, which is not supported by any evidence presented in the article.
      • The author uses language such as 'nomadic herders' to portray the Yamnaya negatively.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
        The article discusses the link between ancient steppe herders and multiple sclerosis (MS) in northern Europe. The author is Eske Willerslev of the University of Cambridge who has a financial stake in MS-linked genetic variants research.
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        75%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Ancient human DNA hints at why multiple sclerosis affects so many northern Europeans today

        The Associated Press News LAURAN NEERGAARD Wednesday, 10 January 2024 16:15
        • Unique Points
          • Ancient DNA helps explain why northern Europeans have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis than other ancestries.
          • The genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5,000 years ago is responsible for this increased risk.
          • Research published in the journal Nature found that gene variants carried by Bronze Age people called the Yamnaya, which moved from Ukraine and Russia into northwestern Europe, increase people's risk of multiple sclerosis. These variants were giving these people an advantage of some kind.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (50%)
          The article is deceptive in that it presents the findings of a study as if they are definitive when in fact there may be other factors at play. The author also uses sensational language such as 'a genetic legacy' and 'an advantage of some kind' to make the findings seem more significant than they actually are.
          • The article states that the Yamnaya carried gene variants that today increase people’s risk of multiple sclerosis. However, it is not clear what caused these variations or how they were passed down through generations.
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the findings come from a huge project to compare modern DNA with ancient humans' teeth and bones. This statement implies that the research is trustworthy because it was conducted by experts in their field. However, this does not necessarily mean that the conclusions drawn from the study are accurate or reliable.
          • The article states that 'the Yamnaya flourished, widely spreading those variants.'
          • The article mentions a gene bank with thousands of samples from early humans in Europe and western Asia.
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The author of the article has a conflict of interest with multiple sclerosis as she is reporting on research conducted by her husband who works at Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Center and Cambridge University. The study suggests that prehistoric migration and disease-linked genes may have contributed to the high prevalence of multiple sclerosis in northern Europeans today.
          • The author mentions her husband's work on the topic, indicating a personal relationship with him.
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
            The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of multiple sclerosis as they are reporting for Nature and Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Center which have financial ties to pharmaceutical companies that develop treatments for multiple sclerosis.

            69%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Ancient DNA helps trace multiple sclerosis origins in European descendants

            The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Carolyn Y. Wednesday, 10 January 2024 16:00
            • Unique Points
              • The genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5000 years ago is responsible for this increased risk.
              • Ancient DNA analysis reveals that key traits such as height and disease risks evolved first outside Europe and were imported into the population by multiple waves of migration.
            • Accuracy
              • The genetic risk for multiple sclerosis is higher in people from northern Europe.
              • Variants of genes related to immunity became more common because they gave people an evolutionary advantage thousands of years ago.
            • Deception (50%)
              The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'debilitating autoimmune disease' and 'potent immune response could mean the difference between life and death'. This creates a false sense of urgency and importance around multiple sclerosis, which may not be accurate or helpful for readers. Secondly, the article presents information about ancient DNA analysis in a way that suggests it is providing new insights into human prehistory when in fact this has been ongoing research for many years. The authors also make claims about specific gene variants without providing enough context or evidence to support their conclusions.
              • The article presents information about ancient DNA analysis in a way that suggests it is providing new insights into human prehistory when in fact this has been ongoing research for many years.
              • The author uses sensationalist language such as 'debilitating autoimmune disease' and 'potent immune response could mean the difference between life and death'.
            • Fallacies (85%)
              The article presents a clear and compelling case for the evolutionary origins of multiple sclerosis in European descendants. The author uses direct quotes from experts to support their claims and provides evidence from ancient DNA analysis. However, there are some examples where the author may have oversimplified complex concepts or presented information out of context.
              • The article states that variants of genes related to immunity began to give people an evolutionary edge because they helped bolster defenses against infections and parasites carried by their animals. However, this statement does not provide enough detail on how these gene variants actually provided such an advantage.
              • The author mentions the hygiene hypothesis as a possible explanation for multiple sclerosis, but does not discuss it in any depth or provide evidence to support this claim.
            • Bias (80%)
              The article presents a clear and compelling case for the evolutionary origins of multiple sclerosis in European descendants. The authors use ancient DNA analysis to trace the genetic risk factors back to specific populations that migrated westward from Asia thousands of years ago. They also provide evidence that these same gene variants increased the risk of haywire immune responses, which is a key factor in the development of multiple sclerosis. However, it's important to note that this research does not necessarily imply any causal relationship between genetic factors and disease outcomes.
              • Five thousand years ago, sheep and cattle herders migrated westward from Asia to Europe
                • Thousands of years later, those same gene variants also happen to increase their descendants' risk of the haywire immune response in MS.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  Carolyn Y. Johnson has multiple conflicts of interest on the topics provided in this article.
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    Carolyn Y. Johnson has conflicts of interest on the topics of ancient DNA and multiple sclerosis origins as she is a researcher in these fields.