Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

An upcoming conference focused on progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) will offer the latest insights about the underlying biology of the disease, and treatment and clinical strategies in development. The one-day conference, “Emerging Research & Trial Strategies for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis,” is taking place virtually on Oct. 4,and is…

Cognitive rehabilitation is an effective therapy for cognitive problems brought on by multiple sclerosis (MS), a review study highlights. “Clinicians should consider this low-cost, low-risk, yet effective treatment approach for their patients,” its researchers wrote. The study, “Neurological update: cognitive rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis,” was published…

The therapeutic administration of mesenchymal stem cells can improve functional abilities and promote the restoration of lost myelin in rodent models of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis of published studies. The findings highlight the potential of these stem cells, but also point to a need for…

In an unexpected discovery, scientists working to understand the biological underpinnings of brain tumors found that increasing the activity of a protein receptor called PDGFRA reduces the production of myelin — the fatty coating that is lost in multiple sclerosis (MS) — in the nervous system. “We saw that…

The presence of a light-sensing protein in the brain during the early stages of fetal development may help to explain why certain neurological diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), are more common among people born at specific times of the year, a study found. The researchers, who noted that people…

First-line treatment with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) leads to a lower rate of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) than does treatment with Aubagio (teriflunomide) or injectable immunomodulators, according to an analysis of insurance data from France. “These data will be useful to feed into physician…

People who develop colon cancer are more likely to die in the first year, from that cancer or other causes, if they also have multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study indicates. MS disability seems to contribute to this association. “These results warrant further investigation to determine what factors may…

Anti-CD20 antibody therapies that target B-cells are highly effective for reducing the risk of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a new analysis confirms. The analysis did not find any significant differences in efficacy or safety among the anti-CD20 therapies currently approved to treat RRMS, though…

Treatment with fesoterodine fumarate — which comes as an extended-release tablet patients can take by mouth — can reduce bladder pressure and improve quality of life in people with bladder impairments due to multiple sclerosis (MS) or spinal cord injuries, new research shows. “A 3‐…

A committee of the European Medicines Agency is recommending that Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) be approved as an oral treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in the European Union. The opinion, from the agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), will now be sent…

While people with multiple sclerosis (MS) taking anti-CD20 therapies do not mount a robust antibody response after getting vaccinated against COVID-19, the vaccines do strongly activate other parts of the immune system that are likely to be helpful in fighting the virus, a new study shows. “The message…

An imaging feature called a rim lesion is found in about 4 out of every 10 people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. These rims, thought to represent areas of chronic brain inflammation in which myelin is being progressively damaged, may serve as alternate biomarkers of…

A class of molecules called positive allosteric modulators, or PAMs, may be useful in treating pain caused by nerve damage — a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) — according to a new study that sheds light on how these molecules work. The international team of researchers behind…

An interaction between immune cells and glia cells in the brain, mediated by the C1q complement system protein, appears to drive chronic inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), new research shows. Inhibiting this protein helped to resolve inflammation in mouse models of MS and in tissue cultures, its researchers found.

Getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 does not increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses in the two months following vaccination, according to a new study. The results support recommending COVID-19 vaccines for people with MS, its researchers said. “The incidence of relapses in the 2 months before and…

Experiencing serious infections during adolescence is tied to an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, but those occurring in childhood don’t increase MS risk, according to a new Swedish study. The study also found that certain types of infections, especially those that affect the central…

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Sweden have lower rates of worsening disability than those who live in Denmark, likely due to differences in treatment strategies in each country, according to a new study. “This study shows that, for the first time to our knowledge, differences in national…

Most people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. have health insurance, but many lack important other types of insurance, such as life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term care insurance, according to an online survey of patients. Its findings suggest that MS patients who are likely to be…

A new research project, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), aims to better understand how different types of cells in the nervous system — specifically neurons and glia cells — communicate with each other and ultimately affect both motor and non-motor functions. Its findings may have important implications…

A variation in a gene called STK11, previously shown to increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) among Caucasians, is now also linked to a greater likelihood of MS in Black people. In fact, the variation was significantly more common in Black MS patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS),…

PoNS, a non-invasive devise to accompany physical therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with difficulty walking, will be available on the U.S. market early next year, its developer, Helius Medical Technologies, announced in a quarterly financial update. Short for Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator, the PoNS…

A smartphone-based app called Floodlight can reliably assess cognition, arm and hand function, and walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new analyses. “Detection of progression onset or worsening is critical to optimally adapt the therapeutic strategy” patients are using to treat the neurodegenerative disease,…

A Phase 3 clinical trial testing the effect of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) on upper limb disability progression in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) is recruiting participants. The trial, called O’HAND (NCT04035005), expects to enroll approximately 1,000 adults with PPMS, ages 18 to 65, at more than…

Probiotic supplements could ease disability, lessen depression, and improve overall health in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis of four randomized clinical trials. Physicians working with these patients might recommend “confirmed probiotic supplements” to help manage “MS concerns,” its scientists wrote, while noting that studies…

Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) does not have a substantial effect on blood pressure or platelet counts, and does not lead to bleeding in the brain of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to a small Belgian study. The findings contrast with previous studies showing an increase in blood pressure, stroke, and…

Visits to the hospital related to multiple sclerosis (MS) are more common when it’s hot or when temperatures are more variable, but less likely to be needed when it’s humid, a new analysis suggests. The results were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, in…

More than half of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who require an informal caregiver have experienced abuse or mistreatment by that caregiver, according to a study conducted in California. The study, “Validity and Reliability of the Scale to Report Emotional Stress Signs–Multiple Sclerosis (STRESS-MS) in Assessing…

More than one-third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who responded to an online U.S.-based survey are dissatisfied with their quality of life, and more than one in four MS patients are pessimistic about their future, according to the results of the survey, conducted by Multiple Sclerosis News…

Treatment with the diabetes medication metformin was seen to lessen cognitive impairment, improve coordination, and normalize neuronal activity in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study reporting these findings, “Evaluation of the effects of metformin as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activator on spatial learning and…

A signaling protein called fractalkine helps to regulate the development of oligodendrocytes, cells of the nervous system responsible for making myelin — the protecting coating of nerve cell fibers that is damaged and lost in multiple sclerosis (MS). This finding was in the study, “Fractalkine signaling regulates…