MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: A Cure for MS?, MS App, Robot for Balance, Botox for Spasticity

All of the stories in this week’s column come from the recently held Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) forum, held Feb. 28 to March 2 in Dallas, Texas.

#ACTRIMS2019 – Forum Leaders Discuss: ‘Will There Be a Cure for MS?’

A reporter for MS News Today asked this question, but the answers provided frustrate me. One response was that it depends on how you define “cure.” Another pointed to progress in halting disease progression but didn’t address “cure.” Yet another said, “We still have some way to go.” But will there ever be a cure? I didn’t see a solid answer. Maybe there is none.

It is a question that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, loved ones, and the larger community have asked for some time: “Will there be a cure for multiple sclerosis?”

MS News Today had the opportunity to ask that question of leaders at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) kick-off press conference of the fourth annual forum on Feb. 28 in Dallas, Texas.

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#ACTRIMS2019 – MSCopilot App Shows Promise as Self-Monitoring Tool

There’s an app for almost everything, and more apps are being created to assist with MS evaluation or treatment. This one is designed to conduct walking, dexterity, vision, and cognition tests similar to those carried out in a neurologist’s office. But the advantage of this app is that a patient can use it anywhere.

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MSCopilot, a software device designed for the self-assessment of multiple sclerosis (MS), distinguishes between patients and healthy controls, and potentially could be used in clinical practice for the monitoring of MS disability progression and patients’ response to treatment.

Matthieu Lamy, from Ad Scientiam, the developer of MSCopilot, presented the data at the fourth annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, Feb. 28 – March 2 in Dallas, Texas. Her poster presentation was titled “Digital Self-Assessment for Patients Living with Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical Results of the Mscopilot Multi-Center Study.”

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UK Team to Test Robot-assisted Exercise to Improve Balance in MS Patients

Here’s another story about new technology developed to help treat multiple sclerosis (MS). And they’re looking for a handful of volunteers to test it.

Researchers at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, U.K., are recruiting 20 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who can walk at least eight meters with a walking aid to test the effectiveness of a five-week exercise program using assistive robotic technology.

The Rex device — made by Rex Bionics — is a maneuverable exoskeleton that straps to and supports a patient’s feet, legs, and core, while leaving their hands free to function normally.

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#ACTRIMS2019 – Botox Earns High Marks from Patients, Physicians as Treatment for Spasticity, ASPIRE Follow-up Finds

I’ve read many word-of-mouth reports of people with MS who swear by Botox treatments to help them with bladder control problems. This study reports satisfaction by patients and clinicians who used Botox to treat arm and leg spasticity.

Patients with a range of diseases and disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), report high satisfaction with botulinum toxin — also known as Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) — as a treatment for spasticity, results from the ASPIRE clinical trial show.

The data were presented last week by Daniel S. Bandari, MD, from the MS Center of California & Research Group at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute, at the 4^th Annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum in Dallas, Texas. His poster was titled “Individualized OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment for Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis Resulted in High Patient and Clinician Satisfaction: The Aspire Study.”

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Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.