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.

January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

HTR2A Gene Changes Found Only in Progressive MS May Be New Biomarker

News

Scientists have discovered epigenetic changes in a gene called HTR2A, found only in immune cells isolated from people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), a study reported.  These findings ... Read more

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021

Study: Past Long-term DMT Use Tapers Risk of Current MS Progression

News

Long-term use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) has a beneficial cumulative effect compared to shorter treatments, delaying the development of irreversible disability and ... Read more

January 5, 2021January 5, 2021

Myelin Ceramides Altered in MS, Study Finds

News

Levels of myelin sheath components called ceramides are altered in the blood of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and may be linked with retinal degeneration and physical disability, a ... Read more

December 7, 2020December 7, 2020

Prenatal Stress Linked to Worse MS Outcomes in Adulthood in Mouse Study

News

Exposure to stress before birth can worsen the clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) during adulthood, a study in a mouse model of MS suggested. Investigators also found that ... Read more

December 4, 2020December 4, 2020

Review Study Examines Factors That Affect MS Patients’ Quality of Life

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Disability, fatigue, depression, cognitive impairment, and unemployment are primary risk factors for a poor quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent review study. ... Read more

December 3, 2020December 3, 2020

Chronic Lesion Expansion in RRMS Contributes to Disease Progression, Study Reveals

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The expansion of chronic white matter lesions in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) determined the increase in total lesion volume and significantly contributed to disease progression, a study ... Read more

December 3, 2020December 3, 2020

Nasal Delivery of Interferon-beta at Lower Doses Shows MS Treatment Potential in Mice

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Nasal delivery of Rebif’s active ingredient interferon-beta, loaded in carbohydrate-based nanoparticles, reduced disease progression and nerve cell inflammation in a preclinical mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study ... Read more

December 2, 2020December 2, 2020

Aubagio Slows Grey Matter, Whole Brain Atrophy in CIS, Study Finds

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Studied for the first time, Aubagio (teriflunomide) slowed the loss of cortical grey matter and whole-brain volume in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) during two years of therapy, a ... Read more

November 24, 2020November 30, 2020

Tysabri Affects Immune System Beyond Known MS Target, Study Finds

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Lower levels of pro-inflammatory immune signaling proteins were found in the blood of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Tysabri (natalizumab) and were associated with fewer relapses ... Read more

November 6, 2020November 9, 2020

Study Flags Possible DMT Risk for MS Patients Over Age 45

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The use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) increased the risk of precancerous growth in those older than 45 years of age, according to an ... Read more

November 5, 2020November 6, 2020

Tysabri Seen as Superior to Gilenya for RRMS in Limited, Head-to-head Study

News

Adults with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with Tysabri (natalizumab) had fewer new and accumulated lesions, and a lower relapse rate than those treated with Gilenya (fingolimod) for ... Read more

November 4, 2020November 4, 2020

Myelin Restored on Regenerated Optic Nerve Fibers of Mice in Study

News

Using a two-pronged approach, researchers were able to restore myelin on regenerated nerve fibers in a mouse model of optic nerve injury, which has implications for multiple sclerosis (MS) ... Read more

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020

Human Placental Extract Effectively Treats MS Symptoms in Mouse Study

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Human placental extract eased clinical symptoms, inflammation, and weight and myelin loss in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported.  Its researchers proposed that placental extracts ... Read more

October 9, 2020October 20, 2020

Almost Half of US MS Patients Surveyed Report Using Cannabis for Nerve Pain, Sleep

News

In a nationwide survey of cannabis-based therapy use among Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS), almost half of respondents endorsed such products, primarily for nerve-based pain and sleep disturbances, and ... Read more

October 7, 2020October 7, 2020

Rituximab Seen to Affect How B-cells Return After Treatment Stops

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Rituximab, an investigational B-cell depletion therapy that target CD20 to treat people with multiple sclerosis (MS), has significant effects on the characteristics of B-cells that return after treatment is stopped, ... Read more

September 2, 2020September 2, 2020

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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May 5, 2020October 2, 2020

FDA Approves Bafiertam, Tecfidera Bioequivalent, for Relapsing MS

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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

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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