May 13, 2016 News by admin Dimethyl Fumarate, a Common MS Drug, Found to Work Independently of Nrf2 Pathway A commonly prescribed multiple sclerosis (MS) medication may act to modulate the immune system. The finding is described in the article “Dimethyl fumarate treatment induces adaptive and innate immune modulation independent of Nrf2,“ published in  the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. MS develops due to an…
May 3, 2016 Columns by admin Stem Cell Therapy: Modern Medicine’s Promising Future For MS Treatment MS research shows that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy may potentially repair the damage and inflammation seen in the nervous system of patients with MS. During an autoimmune reaction, the myelin sheath coating which is formed around the axons of neurons slowly deteriorates, thus causing physical and cognitive impairments. By…
April 20, 2016 News by admin Biogen Releases New Data Showing Effectiveness of Tecfidera in Newly Diagnosed MS Patients at AAN 2016 Biogen reported new data describing the effectiveness of Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) in newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in a recent presentation at the 68th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The conference, taking place in Vancouver, Canada, runs through April 21. Tecfidera is an…
April 14, 2016 News by admin Array of Multiple Sclerosis Trial Data to Be Presented by Biogen at 2016 AAN Meeting A range of new multiple sclerosis (MS) data from Biogen will be revealed at the 68th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in Vancouver, Canada, on April 15–21. Presentations will include studies on Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), one of the most frequently used oral MS treatments worldwide, as well as several other…
April 13, 2016 News by admin Study Associates Obesity in Youth, Low Vitamin D Levels with MS Onset and Progression A systematic review of existing medical literature on multiple sclerosis (MS) could shed light on MS causes and predictors for disease progression, and on lifestyle changes — ranging from vitamin D intake to weight loss — that might reduce a person’s risk. The report, “Factors associated with onset, relapses…
April 5, 2016 News by admin Fingolimod (Gilenya) Shown to Benefit Neurons as Well as Immune System The immune system-suppressing multiple sclerosis (MS) drug fingolimod (Gilenya) also has potentially beneficial effects on the nervous system, according to a recent study, “The multiple sclerosis drug fingolimod (FTY720) stimulates neuronal gene expression, axonal growth and regeneration.“ The article appeared online March 12 in an early version of the journal …
March 31, 2016 News by admin Diabetic Oral Drugs Like Metformin Eased MS Symptoms in People with Both Diseases, Study Reports New research from Argentina explores the idea that controlling symptoms of type 2 diabetes (metabolic syndrome) can also beneficially impact multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression. The study,“Immunologic Effects of Metformin and Pioglitazone Treatment on Metabolic Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis,“ appeared March 7 in the journal…
March 28, 2016 News by admin MS Lesions in Cerebellum Ably Predict Disability Levels and Disease Progression, Study Suggests Damage to the cerebellum in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is due more to the death of actual nerve cells than the destruction of white matter connections, a new study out of Italy suggests. The article, which challenges previous ideas about how brain damage in MS occurs, is titled “MRI-detectable cortical lesions in the…
March 24, 2016 News by admin MS Animal Study Suggests That Placental Cells Might Serve as Future Stem Cell Therapy Research on a specific type of stem cell found in the placenta, known as decidua-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DMSC), suggests these cells might be the source of future treatments for multiple sclerosis. The report, “Restrained Th17 response and myeloid cell infiltration into the central nervous system by human decidua-derived mesenchymal stem…
March 10, 2016 News by admin Andrea Kaiser Shares Her PPMS Journey Through to Stem Cell Therapy in Exclusive Interview Andrea Perry Kaiser is a woman on a mission. The Long Beach, New York, resident is soon to undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for her multiple sclerosis (MS). Kaiser contacted Multiple Sclerosis News Today to chronicle her journey, both before and following the treatment. She received a primary progressive multiple sclerosis…
March 1, 2016 News by admin MS Progression Apparently Not Affected by Number of Pregnancies, Study Reports New long-term research indicates that having multiple children does not lessen or otherwise impact disability in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, titled “Offspring Number Does Not Influence Reaching the Disability’s Milestones in Multiple Sclerosis: A Seven-Year Follow-Up Study,“ was published in The International Journal…
February 22, 2016 News by admin MS Stem Cell Therapies Show Promise, But More Work Is Needed, Researcher Tells ACTRIMS 2016 Dr. Andrew Goodman of the University of Rochester discussed the latest research and perspectives on stem cell strategies for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), saying in a presentation at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2016 that such therapies, while promising, are not yet ready for widespread clinical use. New therapies…
February 17, 2016 News by admin MS Patients’ Likely Response to Interferon-β May Be Evident in a Blood Biomarker A new study underscores the variability of immune responses in different people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and suggests this heterogenity affects responses to the commonly prescribed MS medication interferon-β, but blood biomarkers may exist that can help to determine those most likely to benefit from such treatment. The study, “Cytokine profiles…
February 2, 2016 News by admin Individual with PPMS Shares His Experience of Undergoing Stem Cell Therapy Geoff Flynn, 42, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) two and a half years ago. As unsettling as that diagnosis was, more troubling — both then and now — were the five long years of struggle it took for him to get a proper evaluation as to the cause of his neurological…
January 29, 2016 News by admin MS Drug May Prevent Brain Damage in Premature Babies Premature infants are known to be at risk of cerebral injury due to oxygen deprivation and later problems with cognitive development, but an immunomodulating drug mostly used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) may be of help. Researchers in Germany and Switzerland reported that the drug fingolimod (Gilenya) prevented brain…
January 25, 2016 News by admin Some Forms of MS Might Be Treatable with Hematopoietic Stem Cells Clinical trials suggest that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a common treatment for bone marrow and blood cancers, could also help people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The technique involves harvesting new, undeveloped blood or bone marrow (hematopoietic) cells, typically from the person affected with the disease (autologous). The goal is to…
January 19, 2016 News by admin Anti-LINGO-1: All You Need to Know Recently, Biogen released results from its Phase 2 acute optic neuritis (AON) RENEW trial which tested Anti-LINGO-1. Learn more about this results here. So what is Anti-LINGO-1? According to the MS Society, Anti-LINGO-1 (also known as BIIB033) is a treatment in development by the pharmaceutical company Biogen which is currently…
November 23, 2015 News by admin Multiple Sclerosis Patients Show Improved Reactions with Treadmill Exercise Several studies have shown that exercise can improve movement in multiple sclerosis (MS), but new research indicates that it specifically may also  improve reaction time, a measurement of cognitive impairment. The study, titled “Acute effects of varying intensities of treadmill walking exercise on inhibitory control in persons with…
October 29, 2015 News by admin Microchips May Be New Standard in Multiple Sclerosis Studies In a new article published in the journal Trends in Biotechnology, Korean researchers suggest that diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) might be better studied using compact, accessible chip technology than in current methods. The report, titled “Central Nervous System and its Disease…
October 27, 2015 Social Clips by admin Living with Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis affects more than 600,000 people in Europe. These are some of their stories. Learn more about Multiple Sclerosis here: https://bit.ly/1PBLn0c…
October 26, 2015 News by admin Neurons in Multiple Sclerosis Patients May be Protected by Vitamin D A new study from Sweden indicates that vitamin D could help protect nerve cells (neurons) in multiple sclerosis (MS). The report, titled “Vitamin D and axonal injury in multiple sclerosis,“ was published on October 13, 2015, in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. Scientists have demonstrated, in…
October 19, 2015 News by admin Marijuana Now Legal in Croatia for Medical Purposes, Including Multiple Sclerosis As of October 15, 2015, Croatia has been added to the list of European Union (EU) countries that now allow marijuana for medical purposes. Other countries within the EU that permit some degree of marijuana use include Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. The legalization of the sale…
October 14, 2015 News by admin Study Reports No Influence of Vitamin D Supplementation on Inflammation in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis A recent study of people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) found that high-dose oral vitamin D3 supplementation did not influence markers of inflammation. Inflammation is a reaction to bodily injury that may be over-activated in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The article, titled “Vitamin D supplementation and systemic inflammation in…
October 14, 2015 Social Clips by admin #Ocrelizumab – How Ocrelizumab Works Ocrelizumab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, targets mature B-cells. Almost 95% of the B-cell population has these antigenic epitopes after maturation and does not shed them, which is what makes it a potent marker for therapeutic purposes (cancer being a very common area of interest in this regard). Read more…
October 8, 2015 News by admin Does Sun Exposure in Early Years Delay MS Onset? Exposure to sunlight may delay the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study from researchers in Denmark. The work, titled “Association between age at onset of multiple sclerosis and vitamin D level–related factors,” appeared October 7, 2015 in the journal Neurology.
September 7, 2015 News by admin New Study Unravels How Myelin is Repaired, May Suggest New MS Treatments Japanese scientists have discovered new information about how the myelin sheath is repaired following damage. Myelin is a fatty substance that wraps around nerve cells and helps them to conduct impulses. The research could have major implications for how multiple sclerosis is understood and even treated. The study, titled “Inactivation…
September 3, 2015 News by admin Biomarkers of Early MS and Overactive Bladder Identified in New Study Researchers at the University of Athens Medical School in Greece have found that people with early stage multiple sclerosis (MS) and overactive bladder (OAB) have reductions in brain serotonin and a stress-related hormone, cortisol. Serotonin is a chemical that helps nerve cells to communicate. The study, titled “Neurochemical and…
August 10, 2015 News by admin Benefits of Exercise For Kids With MS Touted in New Study A recent research study focused on whether regular exercise can benefit children with multiple sclerosis (MS). The article appeared in the August 12, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. MS is characterized by inflammation, which manifests as an…
August 6, 2015 News by admin Could Salt Intake be an MS Risk Factor? Most people know that eating too much salt is bad for your health, but a new study suggests that it could also increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). The work appeared in the August 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal, the journal of the Federation of…
July 22, 2015 News by admin New Study Evaluates The Role of MRI in Monitoring MS Progression Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating, progressive disease of the nervous system. It is caused by loss of myelin, a fatty substance that wraps around nerve cells and allows them to conduct impulses and communicate. When myelin is lost, areas of damage called “lesions” result, which appear in the brain and…