Posts by: Patricia Inacio, PhD

Patricia Inacio, PhD

Patricia holds her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University Nova de Lisboa, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European Agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Laboratory of Doctor David A. Fidock, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York.

January 14, 2019January 14, 2019

Typhoid Vaccine Treats MS by Promoting Regulatory T-cells, Mouse Study Reports

News

Treating a common animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) with a typhoid vaccine eased disease symptoms by prompting T helper cells to stop production of a pro-inflammatory factor ... Read more

January 10, 2019January 10, 2019

Common Fungal Infection Can Breach the Brain and Impair Memory, Mouse Study Shows

News

Blood infection with the yeast Candida albicans, a type of fungus, can reach the brain and trigger an immune response, a new mouse study shows. Although the fungus can ... Read more

January 8, 2019January 10, 2019

Immune Cells in the Gut Can Suppress Brain Inflammation in MS, Pre-clinical Study Finds

News

Immune cells in the intestine may reduce neuroimflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a pre-clinical study suggests. Moreover, the augmented number of these cells was sufficient ... Read more

January 3, 2019January 4, 2019

Excess of Single Transcription Factor Appears to Hinder Myelin Repair by Oligodendrocytes, Study Finds

News

Unusually high levels of a transcription factor called paired related homeobox protein 1 (PRRX1) in human oligodendrocyte progenitor cells hinders their ability to respond to the ... Read more

December 21, 2018December 21, 2018

Stem Cell Transplant Lessens Disability and Relapses in RRMS Patients, Phase 2 Trial Shows

News

Treatment with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) led to a sustained decrease in disability and almost no clinical relapses in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who had failed to ... Read more

December 20, 2018December 20, 2018

Genetic Variant Linked to MS Affects More Than Immune Cells, Study Finds

News

A genetic variant associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) due to its impact on certain immune system cells can also affect brain cells ... Read more

December 10, 2018January 11, 2019

Microglia Cells Diverse with Distinct Subtypes and Certain Ones May Contribute to Inflammation, Study Finds

News

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, were seen to change throughout the lifespan of mice in a study — and to be diverse, with ... Read more

December 6, 2018December 6, 2018

Fat Spheres Can Deliver DNA into Cells of Central Nervous System, Hold Therapeutic Potential

News

Non-viral vehicles, called niosomes, can deliver DNA to glial cells in the central nervous system, a new study shows. The findings open new avenues for gene ... Read more

December 5, 2018December 7, 2018

Aspirin Suppresses MS Symptoms by Preventing Loss of Regulatory T-cells, Mouse Study Shows

News

Aspirin, administered orally at low doses, was sufficient to suppress multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in a mouse model of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and chronic MS, a ... Read more

December 4, 2018December 7, 2018

Small Molecule Linked to Cells That Control Myelin Production and Repair in Study

News

The formation of new myelin sheaths by oligodendrocytes is impaired in the absence of a small molecule, called Vav3, that oversees pathways regulating the shape of ... Read more

November 29, 2018December 4, 2018

Adult Oligodendrocytes May Replenish Myelin Production in MS, Study Suggests

News

Mature, adult oligodendrocytes can reacquire their ability to produce myelin to replace the ones lost in diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) without undergoing a stem cell-like ... Read more

November 28, 2018December 4, 2018

High Lipid Levels Associated with Increased Disability, Inflammation in RRMS Patients, Study Shows

News

High levels of certain lipids, or fat, in the blood are linked to increased disability scores and high levels of pro-inflammatory markers in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) ... Read more

November 21, 2018November 21, 2018

Phase 1 Trial of ATA190 Cell Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Progressive MS

News

Atara Biotherapeutics’ investigational ATA190, a cell therapy that wipes out immune B-cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), led to neurological improvements and reduced symptoms in ... Read more

November 20, 2018November 28, 2018

RRMS Diagnosed Most Often in Younger Women and PPMS in Older Men, European Study Reports

News

Women with multiple sclerosis are being diagnosed at younger ages and in greater numbers than men, except for those with primary progressive disease (PPMS), where men 50 ... Read more

November 13, 2018November 13, 2018

Inflammatory Th17 Cells Seen to Trigger Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in MS Mouse Model

News

The pro-inflammatory Th17 cells that characterize multiple sclerosis (MS) may also underlie symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), results of a mouse study show. The study, “Auto-Reactive ... Read more

November 8, 2018November 13, 2018

Blocking Protein Called SARM1 Seen to Protect Nerve Cells from Damage Linked to MS

News

Blocking SARM1, a protein identified as a central mediator of nerve cell degeneration, works to prevent damage to axons — nerve cell fibers essential in cell-to-cell ... Read more

November 6, 2018November 6, 2018

Diabetes, Hypertension, Smoking Linked with Brain Shrinkage in MS Patients

News

Diabetes, hypertension, and active smoking correlate with more brain shrinkage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a new study shows. The study, “Assessing the burden of vascular ... Read more

October 31, 2018November 6, 2018

National MS Society Invests in Clinical Development of Human Antibody for Progressive Forms of MS

News

Fast Forward, a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, will invest up to $330,000 to advance the clinical development of an antibody that was shown ... Read more

October 26, 2018November 2, 2018

Infection with Common Herpes Virus Speeds MS-like Disease Onset and Progression in Primate Model, Study Reports

News

Infection with the most common member of the herpes virus family, called HHV-6, may pass unnoticed and without symptoms, but the very act of being infected significantly ... Read more

October 3, 2018November 16, 2018

Risk of Kidney Deterioration Low in MS Patients, Study Suggests

News

The rate of kidney deterioration as a result of bladder dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis (MS) is low, affecting only 3 percent of the patients, a ... Read more

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018

Lymphatic Vessels of Brain Carry Messages That Appear to Promote MS, Study Reports

News

Lymphatic vessels, the “roads” that work to clear waste material from the brain, can also carry messages that direct immune system attacks against myelin, promoting the ... Read more

September 19, 2018September 19, 2018

GeNeuro to Develop the MS Clinical Program of GNbAC1 Without Servier

News

GeNeuro announced it has reacquired from Servier the worldwide rights to commercialize and develop the investigational humanized antibody GNbAC1 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision came ... Read more

September 17, 2018October 16, 2018

Gilenya More Effective Than Avonex in Lowering Relapse Rates, New Lesions in Children with Relapsing MS, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News

Two years of treatment with oral Gilenya (fingolimod) significantly reduced the rate of relapses when compared to Avonex (interferon beta-1a) intramuscular injections in children and adolescents with relapsing forms ... Read more

September 5, 2018September 5, 2018

Higher Levels of Neurofilament Light Chain in Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Found in MS Patients, Supporting its Prognostic Potential

News

A meta-analysis of 13 case-control studies shows that the levels of the protein neurofilament light chain (NFL) are significantly higher in both the cerebrospinal fluid and ... Read more

August 31, 2018September 7, 2018

Cell-free Mitochondrial DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Progressive MS Patients May Point to Neurodegeneration

News

Cerebrospinal fluid of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may carry lower levels of cell-free mitochondrial DNA, according to a team of researchers who say this may ... Read more

August 29, 2018September 4, 2018

Small Molecule TDP6 Activates Myelin Regeneration in Mice with MS, Other Diseases, Study Finds

News

A small synthetic molecule called TDP6 mimics a natural growth factor and promotes myelin regeneration in a mouse model of demyelination diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), ... Read more

August 24, 2018August 27, 2018

Cannabidiol Increases Inflammatory Suppressor Cells, New MS Mouse Study Shows

News

Non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD), one of the active compounds in medical cannabis, significantly reduced clinical signs of multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model. Researchers ... Read more

August 22, 2018August 24, 2018

Myelocortical MS, New Disease Subtype Marked by Nerve Cell But Not Myelin Loss, Identified in Study

News

Researchers have identified a new subtype of multiple sclerosis (MS), one marked by nerve cell degeneration that occurs independently of immune system attacks against myelin, a ... Read more

August 21, 2018August 21, 2018

Deregulated RNA Molecules May Contribute to RRMS, Study Finds

News

The levels of three small, regulatory RNA molecules — long non-coding RNAs — are deregulated in blood samples of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a ... Read more

August 15, 2018August 17, 2018

Long-term DMT Use Seen to Lower Likelihood of RRMS Progressing to SPMS in Study

News

Long-term treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) appears to lessen the risk of disease worsening in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, an 18-year follow-up study suggests. But these ... Read more

July 20, 2018July 20, 2018

Single Gene Variant May Identify MS Patients at Risk of Liver Damage Linked to Interferon-Beta Use, Study Says

News

A genetic variant close to a gene called interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) may help to predict those multiple sclerosis (MS) patients most at risk of liver ... Read more

July 19, 2018July 23, 2018

Brain Iron Levels Correlate with MS Progression, Disability Risk, Study Shows

News

Evaluating the local differences in iron accumulation in the deep gray matter of the brain using a special magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, may help identify multiple sclerosis ... Read more

July 16, 2018July 19, 2018

Nicotine and Beta-amyloid Work on Immune System in Ways That Ease MS Symptoms, Study Reports

News

Nicotine, the active agent in tobacco, and amyloid proteins, which underlie Alzheimer’s disease, bind to a receptor present in certain immune cells and work to lessen ... Read more

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018

Overreactive T-cells Can Transition into T-cells That Control the Immune Response, Study Shows

News

New research shows that overreactive and tissue-damaging T-cells can transition into regulatory T-cells that help to control the immune system’s response. These findings open the door ... Read more

July 2, 2018July 5, 2018

Winter Months Spent in Sunny Climes Can Lower MS Risk, Study Suggests

News

Greater exposure to sunlight during the winter months — part of a person’s lifetime exposure to ultraviolet radiation — can help to lower the risk of ... Read more

June 27, 2018June 29, 2018

After Ocrevus Approval, New Therapies May Become Available for MS, Report Suggests

News

Genentech‘s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), approved in March 2017, has fueled a sea change in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S., leading to an increased interest in ... Read more

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018

New Fluorescent Imaging Tool Allows Researchers to Track Immune Cell Dynamics in MS Mouse Model

News

A new fluorescent imaging strategy allows researchers to track T-cells and further understand their dynamics in vivo, giving them insight into what happens when these immune ... Read more

June 25, 2018June 25, 2018

Online Aid for MS Patients with Cognitive Difficulties Now Part of MyMSTeam

News

MyHealthTeams together with Biogen launched a new online tool center, called MS and Cognition Resource Center, to educate multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on brain health, and ... Read more

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018

#EAN2018 – Mavenclad Greatly Reduces Risk of RRMS Relapse, Analysis Finds

News

New retrospective analysis of the Phase 3 CLARITY study (NCT00213135) shows that treatment with Mavenclad (cladribine tablets) improved annualized relapse rate and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in ... Read more

June 21, 2018June 26, 2018

#EAN2018 – Both Brain and Spinal MRIs Needed to Monitor MS Inflammation, Study Says

News

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used to assess inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients should include scans of the spinal cord and not be restricted to the ... Read more