Ancient DNA reveals genetic roots of multiple sclerosis and other diseases

Scientists have compiled a large database of ancient DNA based on the remains of almost 5,000 humans who lived in Western Europe and parts of Central Asia. Analysis of this database suggests that genes that once protected prehistoric individuals from harmful pathogens may now increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases in Europeans. The five-year project involved a team of international experts who combined previously known ancient genomes with freshly sequenced DNA from skeletal specimens. Researchers used this database to track how genes and diseases spread over time. The initial findings were published in Nature.