THE DIAGNOSTIC AND PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF SERUM NEUROFILAMENT LIGHT CHAIN (NFL) LEVELS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, characterized by relapsing or progressive neurological deficits. Despite advances in imaging and immunological markers, early diagnosis and prognosis prediction remain a clinical challenge. Recently, serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) has emerged as a highly promising biomarker for neuroaxonal damage, reflecting disease activity and progression in MS. As a non-invasive, blood-based marker, NfL offers potential utility in both initial diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most disabling chronic autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting over 2.8 million people globally. Characterized by demyelination, axonal injury, and neurodegeneration, MS leads to cumulative disability, cognitive decline, and impaired quality of life. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the gold standard for diagnosis and monitoring, it has limitations in assessing the underlying neuroaxonal damage, particularly in the progressive phases of the disease.