Posts by: Ana Pena

Ana Pena

Ana holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal. Her main contributions as a researcher were in molecular biology, parasitology and translational research. Currently, she is highly interested and working in innovation in healthcare and science communication.

November 15, 2018November 15, 2018

MS-specific Lineage of Oligodendrocytes May Provide New Hints on MS Development

News

The cells that produce myelin in the brain and spinal cord, called oligodendrocytes, may play an active role in the onset or progression of multiple sclerosis ... Read more

November 14, 2018November 14, 2018

Motor Imagery Set to Musical and Verbal Cues Helps Patients with Walking and Fatigue, Study Says

News

Mentally rehearsing an ease of walking to rhythmic cues — especially musical and verbal — improves walking speed and distance, and lessens feelings of fatigue in ... Read more

November 1, 2018November 8, 2018

Stopping Thrombin’s Release in Brain May Prevent Myelin Loss in Diseases Like MS, Mouse Study Suggests

News

Myelin loss might be prevented by astrocytes, a brain cell that regulates myelin’s thickness in coating nerve fibers to support the proper transmission of nerve signals, ... Read more

October 30, 2018October 30, 2018

Air Pollutants, Household Chemicals Increase Risk of Pediatric MS, Studies Suggest

News

Children exposed to certain air pollutants in urban areas or some household chemicals are at higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) during childhood or adolescence, two new research ... Read more

October 29, 2018October 29, 2018

Blocking Molecule Evident in Excess in MS Patients Treats Mice with SPMS-like Disease, Study Reports

News

Blocking a molecule that is overly abundant in the nervous system of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and has been linked to nerve cell damage in animals, worked ... Read more

October 24, 2018October 30, 2018

Rare Mutations Affecting Immune System and MS Risk Identified in Large Study

News

An international consortium studying more than 68,000 people, about half of them multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, found rare genetic variations that account for up to 5 percent ... Read more

October 23, 2018October 26, 2018

Stress Granules Found in Nerve Cells of MS Patient Linked to Troubled Protein in Study

News

Stress granules forming inside the nerve cells of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be the underlying cause of nerve cell degeneration and permanent disability in these patients, ... Read more

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018

Antibody Targeting Clotting Factor Seen to Lessen Inflammation, Nerve Cell Damage in MS Model

News

An antibody that blocks a blood-clotting factor from leaking into the brain was seen to lessen neuroinflammation and nerve cell damage in mouse models of multiple ... Read more

October 18, 2018October 23, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 — High Vitamin D Levels, Smoking Predict Opposite Effects on Cognition in CIS Patients, Study Suggests

News

High vitamin D levels predict better cognitive function, while smoking is associated with worse long-term cognitive disability in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a study ... Read more

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Evobrutinib Seen to Lower Active Brain Lesions in Phase 2 Trial

News

Merck KGaA announced that evobrutinib, its oral candidate for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), was able to safely and significantly reduce active brain lesions over 24 weeks of ... Read more

October 16, 2018October 16, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Shifting from Gilenya to Lemtrada Doesn’t Increase Risk of MS Reactivation, Study Says

News

Shifting from treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod) to Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), and doing a short washout period between the two therapies, does not seem to increase the risk ... Read more

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Smoking and Vitamin D Deficiency Likely to Worsen CIS Prognosis, Model Suggests

News

Smoking and low levels of vitamin D can worsen prognosis for people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), researchers who developed a model for predicting long-term disability ... Read more

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – Excessive Weight, But Not Vitamin D, Linked with Faster Grey Matter Loss in MS, Study Finds

News

Being overweight is associated with accelerated grey matter volume loss in the brain, a mark of neurodegeneration, in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a five-year observational study shows. ... Read more

October 11, 2018October 11, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 — MS Patients with Depression or Bipolar Disorder at Higher Risk of Disability Worsening, Study Finds

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with depression or bipolar disorder may be at higher risk of becoming incapacitated and seeing their disability worsen faster, according to a ... Read more

October 10, 2018October 10, 2018

#ECTRIMS2018 – DMTs Slow Down Disability Progression in SPMS Patients with Ongoing Relapses, Analysis Shows

News

Treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may benefit patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who are actively experiencing relapses, as they can slow the disability’s worsening, ... Read more

October 2, 2018October 8, 2018

New Genetic Variants Linked to Aggressive or Benign MS Disease Course, Study Shows

News

Genetic variants in the CPXM2, IGSF9B, and NLRP9 genes were found to potentially shape the disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS), and may be used as biomarkers to ... Read more

October 1, 2018October 3, 2018

MS Patients Using Rebif Not at Higher Stroke Risk, Even Over Long-term, Study Reports

News

Multiple sclerosis patients using Rebif (interferon beta-1a) are not at an increased risk of a stroke, even if remaining on this therapy for more than two years,  a ... Read more

September 27, 2018October 2, 2018

Often-overlooked MRI Signal May Aid in Early Diagnosis of MS, Other Brain Conditions, Study Suggests

News

Scientists have found that a usually-overlooked signal from MRI scans indicates brain regions of nerve cell death and may help in the understanding of brain development and ... Read more

September 14, 2018September 19, 2018

Phagocytes, Key Immune Cells, Seen to Switch from Promoting to Repairing MS Lesions in Study

News

Phagocytes, diverse cells of the innate immune system, are known to both promote and prevent inflammation, depending on whether they are programed to damage tissue or to ... Read more

September 12, 2018September 14, 2018

Fat Carrier Protein May Protect Nerve Cells, Help Myelin Regrow During MS, Research Suggests

News

Apolipoprotein D (Apo D), a brain-produced carrier of fat molecules, seems to have a neuroprotective role and helps in the regrowth of myelin during multiple sclerosis ... Read more

September 11, 2018September 13, 2018

Truly ‘Benign MS’ Evident in Only Small Minority of Patients, Large UK Study Reports

News

Multiple sclerosis (MS) that appears to be “genuinely benign” 15 years after diagnosis is evident in a small number of patients, a large population-based study from the ... Read more

September 10, 2018September 10, 2018

‘Guardian’ Immune Cells of Brain Respond Differently by Sex, Study of Male and Female Mice Reports

News

Gender differences are evident in immune system cells of the brain called microglia, a study in male and female mice reports, suggesting these cells’ sex-specific features ... Read more

September 7, 2018September 11, 2018

How B-cells Work to Promote T-cell Attacks on Myelin That Lead to MS Detailed in Study

News

B-cells in the immune system play an important role in the unfolding of inflammation and brain lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS), largely by how they influence ... Read more

August 20, 2018August 20, 2018

Hypertension and Heart Disease Linked to Increase in Brain Atrophy in Long-term Study

News

High blood pressure and heart disease are linked to greater loss of brain mass, or atrophy in white matter and whole brain volume, in people with ... Read more

August 14, 2018August 14, 2018

Detailed Map of Mouse Nervous System May Help Uncover Origin of Neurological Diseases, Including MS

News

Researchers have created a detailed map of the mouse nervous system, including the location of the many diverse cell types in the brain, in the largest ... Read more

August 6, 2018August 6, 2018

Glatect, Alternative to Copaxone, Added to Public Health Plans of 5 Canadian Provinces

News

Pendopharm’s Glatect (glatiramer acetate injection), a lower cost alternative to Teva’s Copaxone, has been added to the public health plans of five Canadian provinces for patients with ... Read more

August 2, 2018August 6, 2018

Multiple Sclerosis Patients Identify Symptoms that Worsen Quality of Life

News

Loss of health-related quality of life is caused mostly by balance problems, muscle stiffness, and depression in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and for those with ... Read more

July 24, 2018July 24, 2018

Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurofilament Predicts CIS and RRMS Progression, Study Contends

News

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of neurofilament light chain, a protein associated with nerve cell damage, can predict disease progression in people with clinical isolated syndrome (CIS) and ... Read more

July 23, 2018July 27, 2018

Shorter Washout Period Lessens Relapse Risk When Switching from Tysabri to Gilenya in RRMS, Study Finds

News

Shortening the washout period to four weeks when switching from Biogen’s Tysabri to Novartis’ Gilenya is safe and reduces the chances of experiencing a disease flare ... Read more

July 12, 2018July 18, 2018

Missouri Trial to Examine if Fasting Alters Gut Microbiome and Immune System of RRMS Patients in Helpful Ways

News

A 12-week clinical study is recruiting people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to evaluate if intermittent fasting can improve their immune response, metabolism, and gut microbiome ... Read more

July 6, 2018July 12, 2018

Mix of Organic Solvent Exposure, Smoking and Genes Raise Risk of MS by 30 Fold, Study Says

News

Exposure to organic solvents like such as paint or varnish greatly raises the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in people who smoke or have a genetic ... Read more

June 22, 2018June 25, 2018

Researchers Discover How Key Genetic Risk Factor for MS Operates

News

Scientists have uncovered the molecular mechanism by which the genetic variant HLA-DRB1*15:01 is the strongest risk factor for multiple sclerosis, new research shows. Analyzing several studies, ... Read more

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018

Subcutaneous Ofatumumab a Safe, Effective RRMS Therapy at Low Doses, Trial Results Show

News

A formulation of ofatumumab (brand name Arzerra) to be injected under the skin (subcutaneous) was found to be safe and effective in the treatment of relapsing-remitting ... Read more

April 6, 2018April 6, 2018

Online Meditation Course Seen to Help MS Patients Manage Symptoms in Clinical Trial

News

Online training in  meditation based on mindfulness can improve the quality of life for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients while easing depression, anxiety, and sleep problems, a study conducted ... Read more

March 29, 2018May 21, 2018

Ocrevus Outperforms Rebif in Preventing Relapsing MS Activity, Analysis Shows

News, Ocrevus

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) was more effective than Rebif (interferon beta-1a) at preventing relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, according to an analysis that covered two Phase 3 clinical trials. The comparison ... Read more

March 1, 2018March 1, 2018

Young Researchers in Multiple Sclerosis Earn Awards at ACTRIMS Forum 2018

News

The Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) has awarded five young investigators for their research work on multiple sclerosis (MS). The awards were ... Read more

February 23, 2018February 27, 2018

Pilot Study Is Testing Whether Mediterranean Diet Can Help MS Patients

News

New York researchers are doing a pilot study of whether a Mediterranean diet can reduce multiple sclerosis symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life.  Dr. Ilana B. ... Read more

February 22, 2018February 22, 2018

MS Patients Tend to Have More Heart Problems, Need Better Exams, Study Shows

News

Researchers found that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased heart problems suggestive of an intrinsic myocardial disease, and would benefit from cardiovascular examinations using more ... Read more

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018

Stigma Can Be a Cause of MS Patients’ Depression, Study Shows

News

The stigma of multiple sclerosis can increase patients’ risk of depression, but a socially supportive environment, a sense of belonging and a sense of independence can ... Read more

January 29, 2018January 29, 2018

Variations in Biological Clock Genes May Increase Risk of MS, Study Reports

News

Researchers have found a link between variations in two genes that control our 24-hour biological clock and the risk of a person developing multiple sclerosis. The ... Read more