Introduction: Redefining the Boundaries of Neuroinflammation
The traditional view of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as a pathology confined strictly within the central nervous system (CNS) is undergoing a radical shift. While focal lesions and diffuse axonal loss remain hallmarks of the disease, the role of the surrounding anatomy—specifically the skull bone marrow—has recently emerged as a critical player in brain immune homeostasis. A groundbreaking study published in Brain by Corazzolla et al. (2026) provides the first in vivo evidence that the skull bone marrow is not merely a passive structural container but a dynamic immunological reservoir that reflects and perhaps drives MS progression. Using advanced hybrid MR-PET imaging, the researchers demonstrated that overexpression of the translocator protein (TSPO) within the skull bone marrow is independently linked to clinical disability and structural brain damage in MS patients.
