Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The overall financial impact of changes in treatment and delayed diagnoses for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic likely will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars between 2020 and 2024 in terms of extra healthcare costs and lost productivity, as well…

Brain atrophy (shrinkage) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) begins on average more than five years before disease symptoms appear, according to a new study based on machine learning models. “Although the onset of progressive brain tissue loss measured by MRI is not synonymous with the true biological…

Six months of treatment with foralumab, administered into the nose, led to decreases in microglial activity in five of six people with nonactive secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) involved in an expanded access program. Microglia are resident immune cells in the brain believed to play a role in driving…

New research by scientists in Austria may shed light on the link between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), and explain why only some people infected with EBV — previously found to raise the risk of MS by 32 times — go on to develop the neurodegenerative disorder. Distinct…

Blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of nerve damage, were seen to increase about a year or two prior to disability worsening in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly among patients whose disease progressed without any relapse activity. That’s according to new data presented at the…

Use of high-efficacy therapies can lower the risk of disability progression in people with childhood-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly if given in early disease stages when disabling symptoms are negligible. That’s according to data shared at the 9th joint meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and…

Treatment with the investigational therapy fenebrutinib significantly reduced the number of new inflammatory lesions visible on MRI scans in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Pharmacological data from the study suggest the anti-inflammatory experimental medication can get into the brain and spinal cord at levels high…

A clinical trial that was testing if treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) could be discontinued in people with stable disease was terminated early after several patients who stopped treatment saw new disease activity. The findings support the continued use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) even by those who haven’t…

A personalized dosing schedule for Tysabri (natalizumab) that aims to maintain blood levels of the drug above a certain threshold seems to be just as effective for controlling disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as the approved every-four-week dosing schedule. That’s according to interim data from an…

Five of six people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) treated with an experimental oral therapy called OCH saw no disease activity over six months in a small clinical trial. That’s compared with 0% of the SPMS patients given a placebo, according to new data presented by Tomoko Okamoto,…

A new under-the-skin formulation of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) — administered in 10 minutes — is at least as effective as the approved intravenous, or into-the-vein, formulation among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new clinical trial data. Most people given either the new subcutaneous formulation or the intravenous…

Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may prime the immune system to accidentally attack a brain protein called ANO2, new research shows. The findings may explain how EBV infection can lead to developing multiple sclerosis (MS), at least in some patients. Daniel Jons, PhD, a scientist at the…

Six months of treatment with the experimental oral therapy vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838) led to significant reductions in a marker of nerve damage among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a new analysis of data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. Previous data indicated the therapy significantly reduced…

Most disability worsening events happen independent of relapse activity across all types of multiple sclerosis (MS), including clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and early relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a new study reports. The findings challenge the idea that relapses are the main driver of disability worsening in early relapsing…

Problems with sexual dysfunction are a concern for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients of all ages, but the issues tend to have distinct causes as people age, a new study highlights. The study, “Age-Related Differences in the Severity of Sexual Dysfunction Symptoms and Psychological Distress in Individuals with…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United Kingdom are less likely to be on disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) compared with MS patients in other countries in Europe, a new study reports. “We know that getting early treatment with disease-modifying MS therapies can improve long term health and wellbeing.

The expression of a viral protein known as W-Env leads to the inflammatory activation of brain cells and impairs myelin repair in mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. “Our study shows that the presence of W-Env in the brains of MS patients appears to generate a…