Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute, California conducted a screen of 100,000 compounds to find those that could have the potential to promote myelin repair.
Researcher identified a drug currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease (benztropine) had the potential in laboratory models of MS to stimulate the brain’s own stem cells to repair myelin.
To develop this treatment researchers will need to establish whether it could be effective at slowing or stopping progression in MS, and also if it is safe for people with MS to take.