January 12, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Ancient DNA reveal how MS risk genes arose, spread across Europe Genetic changes that predispose people to developing multiple sclerosis (MS) first emerged among herding populations who migrated to Eastern Europe thousands of years ago and then spread across the continent, new research has found. Researchers think these genetic variations may have helped turbocharge the immune system, making it easier…
January 11, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS patients have high levels of T-cells targeting EBV-infected B-cells People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have high levels of T-cells in their spinal fluid that specifically target cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), according to a new study. These T-cells were found in samples collected from patients during their diagnostic workup in the early stages of…
January 8, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS In MS, spinal cord atrophy, chronic inflammation predict progression In people with multiple sclerosis (MS), disability worsening independent of relapse activity — commonly known as “silent progression” — tends to be accompanied by greater atrophy, or shrinkage, in the spinal cord, as well as a higher number of lesions with chronic inflammation, known as paramagnetic rim lesions or…
January 4, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Breastfeeding may reduce later MS risk for people with family history In people with a family history of multiple sclerosis (MS), exclusive breastfeeding in the first months of life may reduce the risk of developing the disease later on, whereas use of cow’s milk or formula may increase MS risk. That’s according to a new study on the potential impact…
January 3, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS activity not likely to be affected by dairy or gluten foods, study finds An analysis of data covering nearly 200 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) found no association between dairy or gluten consumption and MS disease activity. While some specific diets for MS tend to restrict gluten and/or dairy, this study found that people who ate these dietary products were as…
January 2, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Top 10 MS stories of 2023 Throughout 2023, Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought consistent coverage to our readers of the latest scientific research, developments in treatment, and clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS). Here is a list of the top 10 most-read stories we published last year, along with a brief description. We look…
December 19, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Talk therapy found to ease fatigue in MS – with or without follow-up A 20-week talk therapy program led to significant reductions in fatigue for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — benefits that were sustained to the end of the year-long trial regardless of whether patients participated in additional booster sessions. Such sessions were offered two and four months after the end…
December 15, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NK cells may hold key to link between viral infections, MS Natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell, are critical for preventing an immune response against an infecting virus from triggering multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. “Our study demonstrates that the main protective factors against MS are distinct cytotoxic [cell-killing] NK cell responses,” the researchers wrote…
December 14, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Vitamin B12 transport system can carry Gilenya into the brain: Study The molecular process that brings vitamin B12 into the brain can also transport Gilenya (fingolimod), an approved treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. The finding “supports creating brain-targeted B12 formulations” for MS, said Jerold Chun, MD, PhD, co-author of the study at Sanford Burnham…
December 13, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Novel compound ZCAN262 restores lost myelin in MS mouse models A novel compound that can lessen toxic overactivation of nerve cells was found to significantly reduce disease activity and restore lost myelin in two mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. Researchers say the compound, ZCAN262, may be a potential new treatment for MS should future…
December 8, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Mediterranean diet linked to better mental health in older MS patients Elderly adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) who adhere more to a Mediterranean diet tend to have less severe disability and fewer mental health, sleep, and cognitive problems, according to a new study. “This study has provided evidence that adopting [a Mediterranean diet] at higher levels was associated with lower…
December 7, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Phase 3 studies of BTK inhibitor evobrutinib fail to meet main goal The Phase 3 EVOLUTION clinical trials have failed to demonstrate that evobrutinib is more effective than the approved medication Aubagio (teriflunomide) at preventing disease flares in people with relapsing types of multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings, which were shared by the drug’s developer Merck KGaA (known…
December 6, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Essential oils from pumpkins, green tea reduce brain damage in MS rats Treatment with essential oils derived from green tea or pumpkin reduced brain damage in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. The oils also helped to restore the abnormal levels of neurotransmitters — chemical messengers that nerve cells use to communicate — and reduce markers…
December 5, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Trial testing metformin, alpha-lipoic acid in progressive MS set to start A new clinical trial in Australia, called PLATYPUS, will simultaneously test two medications that have already been approved for other conditions in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, expected to launch in January, will use an adaptive design, meaning data will be analyzed as…
November 30, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Stem cell therapy well tolerated in SPMS clinical trial A novel therapy in which neural stem cells are injected into the brain was well tolerated by 15 people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) in a pilot clinical trial. Participants’ disability levels and cognition, as well as markers of inflammation and nerve damage, all remained stable for up…
November 29, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Stopping DMT use tied to greater long-term disability in MS database People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who discontinue a disease-modifying treatment are more likely to have greater long-term disability than patients who continue with such therapies or go untreated, a registry database study reports. Findings also suggest that patients who self-report better mobility early in their disease course also…
November 27, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS FDA clears AI tool for detecting disease activity on MRI scans Pixyl.Neuro, a next-generation software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) in analyzing MRI scans to help detect and monitor multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity, has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use. 510(k) clearance is required for medical devices used in the…
November 20, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS HHV-6A herpes virus tied to more nerve damage before onset of MS Infection with a herpes virus known as HHV-6A is associated with significantly higher levels of the nerve damage biomarker neurofilament light chain (NfL) in the years leading up to multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. “In blood samples from individuals who later developed MS, we could see that antibodies…
November 10, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS CSF protein levels at diagnosis may help predict MS long-term outcomes Levels of proteins in the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), can help predict disease activity and disability worsening for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. “We identified several promising protein biomarkers which could be used to predict short-term activity…
November 10, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ATA188 fails to outperform placebo in EMBOLD clinical trial ATA188, an experimental cell therapy targeting the Epstein-Barr virus, failed to outperform a placebo at easing disability levels in people with nonactive progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from the Phase 2 portion of the EMBOLD clinical trial. The medication also showed no signs of…
November 8, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Online brain training games improved cognition in small MS trial The use of a computer-based program called BrainHQ led to significantly improved scores on cognitive tests among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a small clinical trial in Nebraska. The study was led by Samantha Jack, PhD, as part of work she did as a…
November 8, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS High blood NfL levels predict greater MS disability in year or two: Study Elevated blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), an established biomarker of nerve damage, are associated with a higher risk of near-term disability worsening in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a large study. Findings imply that there’s usually a window of time — about a year or…
November 7, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Blocking NLRP3 inflammasome eases MS severity in mouse model Blocking the activity of a protein complex called the NLRP3 inflammasome lessened disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. Results point to NLRP3 as a promising target to ease inflammation in people with MS, but additional studies will be needed to determine the…
November 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS AI tool has potential to better track MS lesions over time: Study An artificial intelligence (AI) program, called iQ-MS, outperforms traditional radiologist-based measures at quantifying changes in lesions over time in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. “iQ-MS is a sensitive and accurate tool for monitoring MRI scans in people with MS by providing quantitative metrics that value-add…
November 3, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study: Some types of MS pain make exercise more difficult Chronic pain can make it harder for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to be physically active, but some types of pain have a bigger effect than others, a study suggests. The findings show not just whether a patient is having chronic pain needs to be considered, but also what…
November 2, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Circadian rhythm of certain stem cells may offer treatment approach Targeting genes that control the daily activity cycle of cells that are responsible for repairing myelin in the brain and spinal cord may be a useful strategy for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. Findings also point to a potential link between myelin disorders such as MS…
November 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS African American MS patients have high B-cell levels in CSF, study says People with multiple sclerosis (MS) of African descent had higher levels of inflammatory B-cells in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord compared with white MS patients in a small U.S. study. These findings may help to explain why Black people with MS tend to experience a faster…
November 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Immune cell, fat metabolism changes may help explain MS progression More activity among certain immune cells, as well as differences in immune signaling molecules, iron regulation, and fat metabolism, may explain why multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses more over time in some people than in others, researchers report. These findings may help to better understand the molecular mechanisms leading to…
October 31, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gut bacteria can differ among MS patients by genetic disease risk People with a higher genetic risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) were seen to have detectable differences in their gut bacteria in a small study. “There seems to be an association between genetic risk score and [changes in gut bacteria] in triggering the disease in a small cohort of MS…
October 30, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS NEDA 3 and 4 ‘hard to achieve’ with relapsing MS, real-world study finds Achieving NEDA — no evidence of disease activity — after two years of treatment was not common among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at a center in Italy. NEDA more often was reached, however, when researchers didn’t include the first few months of treatment in their analysis, suggesting…