Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and other institutions have found genetic changes associated with MS first emerged among herding populations who migrated from Eastern Europe thousands of years ago.
Susceptibility for MS is related to certain gene variants.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It can lead to a range of symptoms, including paralysis. While it's not hereditary, susceptibility for MS is related to certain gene variants. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and other institutions have found genetic changes associated with MS first emerged among herding populations who migrated from Eastern Europe thousands of years ago and then spread across the continent.
Genes that may have once helped ancient herders fight infectious parasites could contribute to autoimmune diseases today, like multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and can lead to a range of symptoms, including paralysis. While it's not hereditary (environment also plays a role in its development), susceptibility is related to certain gene variants.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen, University of Cambridge, and other institutions started searching for clues as to why certain diseases like MS are more common in some populations compared with others. For example, rates of MS are twice as high in the northwest of Europe, including in Scandinavia, compared to southern Europe.
The legacy of herding ancestors around 5000 years ago, the Yamnaya people, herders from the Eurasian steppe arrived in Europe and moved north. They would have close contact with their sheep, goats and cows (accompanying parasites).
Zoonoses are diseases animals pass to humans including parasitic infections.
Many of these parasitic infections have mostly disappeared in the Western world due to changes such as diets, people living further from livestock and improved hygiene. However, human immune systems haven't caught up and they're still primed to create pro-inflammatory responses even without the parasites.
For some people this inflammatory response can go overboard and start attacking their own cells as with MS.
Doctors currently treat MS with steroids that suppress the immune system. By better understanding where the disease comes from, researchers hope they can find new and more targeted treatments.
Accuracy
One study connects UK populations with a higher genetic risk of MS with a group of Eurasian herders who may have benefited from an increased ability to ward off some infections. Genes were likely passed on in a certain environment because they offered protection against some infectious diseases and carriers were more likely to survive.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that genes linked to diseases like multiple sclerosis may be linked to a population of ancient herders without providing any evidence for this claim. Secondly, the article implies that genetic susceptibility for MS may have once helped ancient herders fight infectious parasites but fails to provide any scientific evidence supporting this assertion. Thirdly, the article states that genes were likely passed on in a certain environment because they offered protection against some infectious diseases and carriers were more likely to survive without providing any context or explanation for how these genetic variants could have been advantageous in such an environment.
The sentence 'Genes linked to diseases like multiple sclerosis may be linked to a population of ancient herders.' is deceptive because it implies that there is evidence linking the two without providing any supporting information.
The sentence 'Genes were likely passed on in a certain environment because they offered protection against some infectious diseases and carriers were more likely to survive' is deceptive because it suggests that these genetic variants could have been advantageous in an environment but fails to provide any context or explanation for how this might be the case.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the work of multiple researchers and institutions without providing any evidence or context for their findings. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by stating that genes linked to diseases like multiple sclerosis may be linked to a population of ancient herders, implying that there are only two options: either they were directly responsible for the disease or not at all. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric when it states that
Bias
(80%)
The article is biased towards the idea that genetic susceptibility for multiple sclerosis may be linked to a population of ancient herders. The author uses language such as 'genes that may have once helped ancient herders fight infectious parasites could contribute to autoimmune diseases today, like multiple sclerosis' and 'One way I think about this is that there are trade-offs,' which implies the idea of a direct cause and effect relationship between genetic susceptibility for MS and ancestry. The author also uses quotes from experts such as Rasmus Nielsen to support their argument without providing any context or counterarguments, making it seem like they agree with the author's perspective.
genes that may have once helped ancient herders fight infectious parasites could contribute to autoimmune diseases today, like multiple sclerosis
One way I think about this is that there are trade-offs,
The Porsmose Man from the Neolithic Period was found in 1947 in Porsmose, Denmark.
Four research articles published in Nature provide detailed pictures of prehistoric human diversity and migration while proposing an explanation for a rise in genetic risk for multiple sclerosis (MS).
New scientific evidence explains why the prevalence of MS is twice as high in Scandinavia than in Southern Europe.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article presents four research articles that use ancient human DNA to study prehistoric human diversity and migration. The authors analyze a subset of the 5,000 genomes project and find evidence for genetic risk factors for multiple sclerosis in Scandinavia, mapping of disease dispersal in Eurasia after large migrations, two almost complete population turnovers in Denmark within a single millennium, and tracing prehistoric human gene pools. The article also discusses the challenges faced during the project's execution and its potential applications for future research.
The vast genetic implications of a culturally determined barrier
Mapping of how risk genes for several diseases were dispersed in Eurasia in the wake of large migration events more than 5,000 years ago
New scientific evidence of ancient migrations explaining why the prevalence of multiple sclerosis is twice as high in Scandinavia than in Southern Europe.
Mapping two almost complete population turnovers within a single millennium.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the discovery of prehistoric human gene pools in western Eurasia using a dataset of 5000 ancient human genomes. The research team used Illumina technology to sequence bones and teeth from museums across Europe and Western Asia. They found evidence of genetic risk for multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and other diseases in Eurasia that were dispersed in the wake of large migration events more than 5000 years ago. The research also identified two almost complete population turnovers in Denmark within a single millennium.
The vast genetic implications of a culturally determined barrier, which until about 4000 years ago extended up through Europe from the Black Sea in the south to the Baltic Sea in the north.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses the discovery of ancient human DNA and its implications for understanding human diseases. The authors have a financial stake in the company that sequenced the DNA, which could compromise their objectivity.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The author Science X has multiple conflicts of interest on the topics provided. The author is a researcher at Eske Willerslev's lab and Thomas Werge's lab, which are both involved in studying ancient human DNA. Additionally, Rasmus Nielsen and Jan Egebjerg are also researchers at these labs.
The article mentions that Science X is a researcher at Eske Willerslev's lab.
MS-associated variants first common among herding group in Eastern Europe
Genetic changes that predispose people to developing multiple sclerosis (MS) emerged among herding populations who migrated to Eastern Europe thousands of years ago and then spread across the continent
These genetic variations may have helped turbocharge the immune system, making it easier to fight off infections, but in modern times, these once-advantageous changes may instead lead to autoimmune diseases like MS
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that these genetic variations may have helped turbocharge the immune system and make it easier to fight off infections. However, this statement is not supported by any scientific evidence presented in the article. Secondly, while it's true that certain genetic variants associated with increased MS risk are more common in northern Europe than southern parts of the continent, there is no clear explanation for why some northern European populations would have more MS risk genes. The author claims that these genetic variations may be due to herding groups like the Yamnaya people who migrated from Eastern Europe and spread across the continent. However, this claim is not supported by any evidence presented in the article.
The statement 'these genetic variations may have helped turbocharge the immune system' is unsupported by scientific evidence.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study published in Nature without providing any context or explanation of the research methods used. Additionally, the author commits a false dilemma by presenting only two options for why certain genetic variants associated with increased MS risk became common among herding populations: either they helped turbocharge the immune system or they led to autoimmune diseases like MS. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing how these genetic variations may have been advantageous in fighting off infections and parasites, but now pose a threat due to rapid improvements in sanitation over the last century. Finally, the article contains an example of dichotomous depiction by presenting MS as either being caused by certain genetic variants or not having any known cause.
The study published in Nature provides evidence that these genetic variations may have helped turbocharge the immune system.
Bias
(85%)
The article presents a clear bias in the form of an overgeneralization about the causes of multiple sclerosis (MS). The author states that certain genetic variations associated with increased MS risk first emerged among herding populations who migrated to Eastern Europe thousands of years ago and then spread across the continent. This statement implies that these genetic variations are solely responsible for the development of MS, which is not entirely accurate. While it is true that some genetic variants have been linked to an increased risk of developing MS, other factors such as environmental and lifestyle factors also play a role in its development.
The author states that certain genetic variations associated with increased MS risk first emerged among herding populations who migrated to Eastern Europe thousands of years ago and then spread across the continent. This statement implies that these genetic variations are solely responsible for the development of MS, which is not entirely accurate.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Marisa Wexler has a financial tie to William Barrie as she is the author of his book 'The Ghosts of Our Past: A Journey Through History' and may have an interest in promoting his work.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of multiple sclerosis (MS) risk genes as they are reporting on research conducted by William Barrie and Eske Willerslev. The article does not disclose this conflict.
Why northern Europeans today are taller than people from southern Europe
How major migration around 5000 years ago introduced risk genes into the population in north-western Europe -- leaving a legacy of higher rates of MS today
Carrying the MS gene was an advantage at the time as it protected ancient farmers from catching infectious diseases from their sheep and cattle
Accuracy
The genetic variants associated with a risk of developing MS traveled with the Yamnaya people -- livestock herders who migrated over the Pontic Steppe into North-Western Europe
These genetic variants provided a survival advantage to the Yamnaya people, most likely by protecting them from catching infections from their sheep and cattle but also increased the risk of developing MS.
The legacy of herding ancestors around 5000 years ago, the Yamnaya people, herders from the Eurasian steppe arrived in Europe and moved north. They would have close contact with their sheep, goats and cows (accompanying parasites).
Zoonoses are diseases animals pass to humans including parasitic infections.
Many of these parasitic infections have mostly disappeared in the Western world due to changes such as diets, people living further from livestock and improved hygiene. However, human immune systems haven't caught up and they're still primed to create pro-inflammatory responses even without the parasites.
For some people this inflammatory response can go overboard and start attacking their own cells as with MS.
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title claims that multiple sclerosis (MS) rates are high in Europe but fails to mention that MS rates are actually higher in northern Europe than southern Europe. Secondly, the article states that carrying the MS gene was an advantage at the time as it protected ancient farmers from infectious diseases from their sheep and cattle. However, this is not entirely accurate as there were other factors contributing to disease resistance such as genetic diversity and environmental conditions. Thirdly, while the study provides new insights into MS origins and risk genes, it does not provide a definitive explanation for why northern Europe has higher rates of MS today.
The title claims that multiple sclerosis (MS) rates are high in Europe but fails to mention that MS rates are actually higher in northern Europe than southern Europe. This is deceptive as it implies that the entire continent has high MS rates when only a portion of it does.
The study provides new insights into MS origins and risk genes but does not provide a definitive explanation for why northern Europe has higher rates of MS today. This is deceptive because the article implies that the research provides all the answers when in reality, there are still many unanswered questions.
The article states that carrying the MS gene was an advantage at the time as it protected ancient farmers from infectious diseases from their sheep and cattle. However, this is not entirely accurate as there were other factors contributing to disease resistance such as genetic diversity and environmental conditions. This statement is deceptive because it oversimplifies a complex issue.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several examples of logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the study was conducted by a large international team led by Professor Eske Willerslev at the Universities of Cambridge and Copenhagen, without providing any evidence or context for their expertise in this specific field. Additionally, the article contains several examples of dichotomous depictions when discussing multiple sclerosis rates across Europe and how they are influenced by genetic variants associated with a risk of developing MS. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when stating that carrying the MS gene was an advantage at the time as it protected ancient farmers from infectious diseases, but this is not supported by any evidence or context for the specific circumstances in which this would have been beneficial.
The study involved a large international team led by Professor Eske Willerslev at the Universities of Cambridge and Copenhagen.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the origins of multiple sclerosis (MS) and how it was introduced into north-western Europe by sheep and cattle herders migrating from the east. The genetic variants associated with a risk of developing MS were found to have traveled with these Yamnaya people, providing a survival advantage in terms of protection against infectious diseases but also increasing the risk of developing MS. This information is presented as evidence for why northern Europe has the highest prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the world.
The genetic variants associated with a risk of developing MS were found to have traveled with these Yamnaya people, providing a survival advantage in terms of protection against infectious diseases but also increasing the risk of developing MS.
Ancient genomes spanning tens of thousands of years reveal the roots of traits in modern Europeans
The three main waves that settled Europe were hunter-gatherers, farmers and pastoralists
Denmark underwent two large population transitions within just a few generations with newcomers killing all the locals rather than driving them out or mixing with them.
Many genetic variants trace back directly to one of the three migration waves. For instance, modern northern Europeans are taller and lighter skinned because they have more ancestry from steppe pastoralists
Evolutionary mysteries such as why human adults evolved the ability to digest milk before Europeans herded animals can be explained by mutations near the gene encoding lactase that allowed babies to process milk, which might have primed the genome for development of a variant that allows lactase to continue functioning in adults
One trait that seems to have had a strong evolutionary advantage is one associated with predisposition to multiple sclerosis. This trait arrived in Europe with west-Asian pastoralists and became even more common in northern Europe over the subsequent millennia.
Accuracy
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and can lead to a range of symptoms, including paralysis. While it's not hereditary (environment also plays a role in its development), susceptibility is related to certain gene variants.
The genetic variants associated with a risk of developing MS traveled with the Yamnaya people -- livestock herders who migrated over the Pontic Steppe into North-Western Europe
These genetic variants provided a survival advantage to the Yamnaya people, most likely by protecting them from catching infections from their sheep and cattle but also increased the risk of developing MS.
The geographical and temporal distribution of ancient genomes sequenced and reported in this study provides an explanation for the North-South Gradient
From a genetic perspective, the Yamnaya people are thought to be the ancestors of present-day inhabitants of much of North-Western Europe. Their genetic influence on today's population is much weaker.
The new research found that modern-day genetic risk profile for MS is also present in bones and teeth that are thousands of years old
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that 'many characteristics including a heightened risk for multiple sclerosis were carried to Europe by people who migrated to the continent starting around 45,000 years ago.' However, this statement is misleading as it implies that all cases of multiple sclerosis in Europe can be traced back to these migrations. This is not true as there are many other factors that contribute to the development of diseases such as genetics and environment. Secondly, the author uses sensationalist language when describing the findings, stating 'this study provides unprecedented detail on how ancient ancestry can influence disease risk to this day.' However, this statement exaggerates the significance of these findings and implies that they have a direct impact on modern diseases which is not entirely accurate. Lastly, there are several instances where the author uses selective reporting by only mentioning certain traits associated with specific migrant groups while ignoring other traits or their potential influence on disease risk.
The statement 'many characteristics including a heightened risk for multiple sclerosis were carried to Europe by people who migrated to the continent starting around 45,000 years ago' is misleading as it implies that all cases of multiple sclerosis in Europe can be traced back to these migrations. However, this statement is not entirely accurate.
The author uses sensationalist language when describing the findings stating 'this study provides unprecedented detail on how ancient ancestry can influence disease risk to this day.' This statement exaggerates the significance of these findings and implies that they have a direct impact on modern diseases which is not entirely accurate.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author of the article has multiple conflicts of interest on several topics related to their research. The author is a member of an organization that studies human migration and population genetics, which could influence their reporting on these topics. Additionally, the author cites other researchers who have studied genetic traits and disease risk in relation to ancient DNA, suggesting they may have financial or personal ties with those researchers.
The article mentions that Sara Reardon is a member of an organization called the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics. This organization studies human migration and population genetics, which could influence their reporting on these topics.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author Sara Reardon has a conflict of interest on the topic of 'Ancient DNA' as she is an expert in this field and may have personal or professional affiliations with other experts in the field. The article also discusses multiple topics related to population genetics which could be considered a potential conflict.
The author Sara Reardon has expertise in ancient DNA, which is discussed extensively throughout the article.
