Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

Low levels of the estrogen hormone estradiol may be linked to worse brain damage, a new study found, offering a possible explanation as to why multiple sclerosis (MS) often progresses more rapidly in women during menopause, when levels of that sex hormone drop. However, the use of hormone…

Vitamin D supplements were associated with less severe disease in a rat model of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), but male rats tended to experience greater benefits than did females, a study into disease-related sex differences reports. This higher overall benefit may be due to nerve cells in males being…

Taking antibody-based medications for multiple sclerosis (MS) while breastfeeding does not appear to harm a child’s health or development during at least the first three years of life, according to a preliminary study of more than 180 babies. Children breastfed by mothers taking Tysabri (natalizumab), Ocrevus (ocrelizumab),…

Nearly half of all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who participated in clinical trials — including global, pivotal studies — had one or more comorbidities, or coexisting conditions, the most common being depression and high blood pressure, a meta-analysis study found. While the rate of patients with comorbidities “may be…

People with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) being treated with an infusion CD20 inhibitor such as Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) can safely transition to the more recent Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy), which is given in shorter infusion times. That’s according to data from the ENHANCE Phase 3b clinical trial…

The presence of paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs), which represent areas of damage in the brain and spinal cord with chronic active inflammation, may help identify people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are more likely to have cognitive decline over time. That’s according to four-year data presented by Hannah Schwartz,…

The antihistamine clemastine accelerated disease progression by more than five times in some adults with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) who received it in a Phase 1/2 trial, new data show. Joanna Kocot, PhD, a neuroscientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), showed that this effect is at least…

Nearly one year of treatment with tolebrutinib, an oral small molecule being developed by Sanofi, failed to eliminate iron rim lesions in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a small Phase 2 clinical trial. Researchers are continuing to examine study results to determine…

Two researchers from The University of Western Australia (UWA) have received grants from MS Australia for work that may help scientists better understand how an immune system gone awry can cause multiple sclerosis (MS). Belinda Kaskow, PhD, a teaching and research fellow at UWA’s School of Biomedical Sciences,…

Both balance and endurance training can help to ease fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — but if problems with balance are a concern, then balance training would be the best choice as it targets both fatigue and balance, a small study found. The study, “Fatigue may…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have higher amounts of mitochondrial DNA in their spinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord, than do their healthy counterparts, a small study found. Mitochondria are small cellular organelles that produce most of the energy needed to power cells. These cell powerhouses…

Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS) scored lower on tests of walking and physical function than did white patients, regardless of social determinants of health such as education or income, a U.S. study reported. These findings add to a growing understanding of how MS manifests in Black people, and…

About 4 in 5 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who receive a stem cell transplant remain free of relapses for at least six years, and this may translate into being able to get back to work, a small study from Norway suggests. The study, “Autologous hematopoietic…

Complement proteins, especially when activated in the brain and spinal cord, may contribute to nerve cell damage and more severe multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, a study that offers insights into a possible therapeutic target suggests. The study, “Complement Activation Is Associated With Disease Severity in Multiple Sclerosis,” was…

Taking melatonin before bedtime may help balance and muscle strength in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study from Tunisia. Those benefits are in addition to making for more restful sleep. While the findings come from a small number of patients, they suggest melatonin supplements may…

Nabiximols, a cannabis-based oral spray sold as Sativex, was reported to considerably ease spasticity — unusual muscle tightness or stiffness — in about two-thirds of the multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using it for three months in a real-world study in Germany. For most patients, the treatment also…

Taking caffeine tablets — the equivalent to about two cups of coffee a day — may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) keep their balance and move more easily, which could aid their quality of life, a small study suggests. While the tablets may…

Taking a two-month supplement of crocin, an antioxidant found in the cooking spice saffron, helped to reduce signs of inflammation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who took part in a small study in Iran. However, crocin had no effect on symptoms of depression or anxiety compared with a…

Pelvic floor exercises, which strengthen the muscles around the bladder, bowel, and vagina, can help with sexual health and lessen sex-related distress in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small study found. Women reported increased sexual desire, arousal, and better overall satisfaction after engaging in a 12-week training program,…

Kyverna Therapeutics has developed a method that enables KYV-101, an experimental CAR T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions, to be produced in a much shorter timeframe than conventional manufacturing processes, a study shows. The approach took less than three…

Taking a high-dose vitamin D supplement as an add-on to standard treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) doesn’t slow the development of new lesions, a sign that the brain or spinal cord have been damaged, according to a meta-analysis study. Vitamin D also had no…

People with a certain type of genetic makeup who’ve have head trauma may have a risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) up to nearly 18 times over those without genetic factors or a history of head trauma, a study shows. “Our study could prompt further research to uncover the…

The level of proteins called kappa free light chains in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord — may be used as a diagnostic marker to identify the presence of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. Testing for…

Myrobalan Therapeutics has secured $24 million in series A financing to support the development of oral medications for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), which comprises the brain and spinal cord. The company’s pipeline currently includes three candidate therapies…

Engaging in online sessions of compassion-focused therapy, which works toward getting people to become more compassionate about themselves, may help women with multiple sclerosis (MS) deal with suicidal thoughts, a small study suggests. Compassion-focused therapy also may help these women overcome pain catastrophizing, which is a tendency to view…

Six of eight patients with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) being treated with foralumab nasal spray — all part of an intermediate-size expanded access program (EAP) allowing the therapy’s use — have experienced reductions in their fatigue levels. That’s according to treatment developer Tiziana Life Sciences,…

Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) or traumatic brain injury report more cognitive fatigue, or exhaustion resulting from mental work, than do healthy individuals — regardless of the nature of the tasks being performed — a study found. However, cognitive fatigue built up at a similar rate among study participants…

A six-month telehealth program designed to help participants change their dietary and lifestyle habits resulted in an increased level of physical activity and clinically relevant weight loss for most obese people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who took part, a clinical trial found. In fact, about 2 in 3 of…

Fewer men than women are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in China — as elsewhere — but more male patients have faster MS disability progression and higher death rates, a study found. Over the next 25 years, the burden of MS is expected to persist in China, the researchers…

More than one-third of neurologists in the U.S. believe Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors could be of pivotal significance as a future treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to findings of a recent Spherix Global Insights’ survey. “Through Spherix’s quarterly RealTime Dynamix market tracker, neurologists…