Posts by: Steve Bryson PhD

Steve Bryson PhD

Steve holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. He worked as a medical scientist for 18 years, within both industry and academia, where his research focused on the discovery of new medicines to treat inflammatory disorders and infectious diseases. Steve recently stepped away from the lab and into science communications, where he’s helping make medical science information more accessible for everyone.

September 2, 2020September 2, 2020

Altered Gut Microbiome, Metabolism Found in Japanese RRMS, SPMS Patients, Study Reveals

News

Alterations in gut bacteria and bacterial metabolism were found in Japanese people at different stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to healthy controls, a study reports. Reduced fatty acid ... Read more

August 31, 2020August 31, 2020

Immune T-cells Trigger Early MS Inflammation, Twin Study Reveals 

News

A comparison of immune cells isolated from identical twins — in which only one of each pair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) — identified a population of immune-regulating ... Read more

August 21, 2020August 24, 2020

Ocrevus Cancels RRMS Patient’s Immunity to Chickenpox Virus, Case Study Finds

News

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) eliminated the immunity, acquired through vaccination, to the varicella-zoster virus — the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles — in a man with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a ... Read more

August 18, 2020August 18, 2020

Gsta4 Protein Promotes Myelin Repair, Prevents Symptoms in MS Rat Model

News

A protein known as Gsta4 is critical in the growth and activity of oligodendrocytes, a special type of brain cell that generates the myelin sheath that is damaged in ... Read more

August 12, 2020August 12, 2020

Inflammation Drives Nerve Damage in Early MS, Imaging Study Shows

News

Inflammation drives the loss of brain volume and thinning of the eye’s retina in the first five years of a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, an imaging study demonstrates.  The findings ... Read more

August 10, 2020August 10, 2020

Immune Cell Protein CD36 Shows Potential as Therapeutic Target, Study Suggests

News

For the first time, scientists have shown that a protein known as CD36 on the surface of some immune cells is crucial for clearing myelin debris and suppressing nerve ... Read more

August 5, 2020August 5, 2020

Smoking and Epstein-Barr Virus Combine to Raise MS Risk, Study Says

News

Cigarette smoking and an Epstein–Barr virus infection together represent a significant risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting that at least one path to this disease involves two factors ... Read more

July 28, 2020July 30, 2020

Protein Linked to Inflammation in MS Also Helps to Control It, Study Finds

News

The pro-inflammatory signaling protein interleukin (IL)-17A, which is associated with nerve damage in multiple sclerosis (MS), also has an opposing, and crucial, anti-inflammatory role in cells, a study reports.  ... Read more

July 27, 2020July 27, 2020

HLA-DPB1 Gene Variants May Influence MS Onset and Relapse Risk

News

A variant of the HLA-DPB1 gene — called HLA-DPB1*04 — appears to protect people from developing multiple sclerosis (MS) either in childhood or as adults, a study from Greece ... Read more

July 17, 2020July 17, 2020

Special Exercise App Wins Favor in Progressive MS Study, But Little More

News

A multimedia smartphone application designed to precisely inform about exercise and track physical activity led primary or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to be more active — but no ... Read more

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020

Anxiety and Depression Linked to RRMS Relapse Risk, Study Finds

News

Comorbidities such as anxiety and depression are associated with a significantly increased risk of relapse in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a clinical trial analysis has found.  Anxiety ... Read more

June 22, 2020June 22, 2020

More Research Needed Into How Exercise, Rehab Aid Cognition in MS

News

Cognitive problems are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) but inadequately addressed by disease-modifying therapies, while cognitive rehabilitation and exercise training programs can be effective, a review study reported.  ... Read more

June 11, 2020June 12, 2020

Immune Cells Reprogrammed in Mice May Lead to Potential MS Treatment, Study Suggests

News

After repeated exposure to a fragment of the myelin protein — the target of autoimmune attack in multiple sclerosis (MS) — immune cells in mice were reprogrammed to be ... Read more

May 21, 2020May 21, 2020

Higher Risk of Vascular Disease Among MS Patients in the UK, Population-based Study Reveals

News

People in the United Kingdom (U.K.) with multiple sclerosis (MS) have an increased risk of vascular disease affecting the heart and brain that is not accounted for by traditional ... Read more

May 6, 2020May 6, 2020

Immune Cell microRNAs Are Potential MS Biomarkers, Study Suggests

News

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May 5, 2020May 6, 2020

FDA Approves Bafiertam, Tecfidera Bioequivalent, for Relapsing MS

News

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April 17, 2020April 20, 2020

Inflammation, Blood Fats Linked to Cardiovascular Disease in MS

News

Scientists have identified a link between systemic inflammation and fat (lipid) metabolism that may underlie the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study ... Read more

April 15, 2020April 15, 2020

Gray Matter Lesions Affect Cognition in Japanese MS Patients as Well, Study Says

News

People in Japan with lesions in the cerebral cortex due to multiple sclerosis (MS) were found to have greater cognitive problems, or difficulties thinking, than those without lesions in this ... Read more

February 25, 2020February 25, 2020

Age, Gender, Blood Glucose Affect Immune Cells’ Response to Tecfidera in RRMS Patients, Study Reports

News

Immune cells from patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) respond differently to Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) based on age, gender, and serum blood glucose levels, a study found.  The results suggest ... Read more

February 12, 2020February 12, 2020

Gilenya Works to Treat RRMS by Specifically Targeting B-cells and T-helper Cells, Study Finds

News

Treating people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) for one year with the immune-modulating therapy Gilenya (fingolimod) reduced the numbers of antibody-producing B-cells and of T helper cells, a study finds.  ... Read more

February 10, 2020February 11, 2020

Ethnic Differences in MS Evident in Antibody-secreting Cells in Blood, US Study Suggests

News

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who self-identify black African or Latin American have a higher number of disease-associated antibody-secreting cells in their blood compared to those who identify as ... Read more

January 15, 2020February 28, 2020

Specific Changes in Vitamin D Receptor Protein Linked to MS Risk, Study Suggests

News

A risk of multiple sclerosis rises in people with specific variations in a protein, called the vitamin D receptor, that affects how this vitamin works and is metabolized in the ... Read more

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019

Gut Microbiome Changes Evident in Newly Diagnosed MS Patients, Study Says

News

A DNA analysis to identify changes in the gut microbiome in people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis — who have yet to begin using disease-modifying therapies — showed that all, regardless ... Read more

November 19, 2019November 19, 2019

Blocking Molecule Prevents B-cells from Entering Brain and Promoting MS Progression, Study Reports

News

Stopping the migration of immune B-cells through the blood-brain barrier by blocking ALCAM, a molecule linked to the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), lessened disease severity in an MS ... Read more

October 29, 2019October 29, 2019

UV-B Light Prevents MS Symptoms in Mice Independently of Vitamin D, Study Finds

News

Exposure to UV-B light prevented multiple sclerosis (MS)-like symptoms in a mouse model regardless of the presence of vitamin D or the vitamin D receptor, a new study discovered.  ... Read more

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

Altered Fear Response, Changes in Brain Chemistry Seen in Mice with Poor Gut Microbiota

News

Depleting microbes in the gut of mice led to an altered fear response, changes in gene expression in brain immune cells and changes in brain chemistry — returning to ... Read more

September 10, 2019October 22, 2019

SPMS Triggers and Treatments Among Focus of Expert Panel in Video Series by AJMC

News, SPMS

Multiple sclerosis experts discuss disease causes and current treatment options in a new video series released by the multimedia and peer-reviewed science journal, The American Journal of Managed Care.  The free ... Read more

September 4, 2019September 5, 2019

MS Relationships Improved by Togetherness and Communication, Study Suggests

News

Relationships between multiple sclerosis patients and their intimate partners were enhanced when the couple worked together to make lifestyle changes, and to develop skills to improve communication, a study ... Read more

August 2, 2019August 2, 2019

Rewind Therapeutics Receives Research Grant to Develop New Remyelination Medicines for MS

News

The development of new medicines to treat myelin-related neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), has been given a boost by a €2.9 million (about $3.2 million) research grant ... Read more

July 31, 2019July 31, 2019

Surgery with Anesthesia Does Not Raise Person’s Risk of MS Relapse, Study Finds

News

No excessive relapse risk appears to exist for people with multiple sclerosis who undergo surgery that requires anesthesia, researchers report, challenging long-held assumptions associated with MS and surgery. Their single-site ... Read more

July 30, 2019July 30, 2019

Early MRI Screening Can Predict Long-term MS Disability, Help Guide Treatment, Study Says

News

Routine screening through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) can predict long-term disease progression — leading to more certainty and informing better treatment choices, a 15-year ... Read more

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019

Tecfidera Up Against Bafiertam in Phase 1 Study of GI Tolerability

News

A first healthy volunteer has enrolled in a randomized, double-blind Phase 1 study to compare the gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability and safety of oral Tecfidera to Bafiertam, an oral bioequivalent in ... Read more

July 24, 2019August 22, 2019

Standing Frame Exercises Aid Lower Limbs of Progressive MS Patients, UK Study Says

News

People whose advanced progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) limits their mobility can strengthen their lower limbs and improve life quality by engaging in regular standing exercises in their homes, a ... Read more