Steve Bryson, PhD,  science writer—

A Marquette University team is leading a new project that will combine balance and cardio training with the goal of improving the walking abilities of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Led by Marquette biomedical engineering professor Brian Schmit, PhD, the project — which is supported by a $3.34 million…

An abnormally active metabolism in immune B-cells can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules that drive further inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. Selectively blocking certain metabolic processes with a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor normalized B-cell metabolism and shifted their signaling to an anti-inflammatory state.

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who start treatment with a mild-to-moderate efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) were more likely to switch to another DMT, an analysis of the German MS Registry finds. Starting a DMT between 2014 and 2017 was also a predictor of switching. Disease activity despite treatment…

Alternative splicing, a biological process that allows a single gene to code for multiple proteins, is extensively disrupted in immune cells isolated from untreated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and long-term treatment with interferon beta-based therapies largely corrects the defects, a study found. “Alternative splicing is a potential biomarker warning…

A small molecule called ESI1 stimulated the repair of the myelin sheath, the fatty coating on nerve fibers that is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. In an MS mouse model, this resulted in improved motor function and nerve cell communication, as well as reduced signs…

Charles River Laboratories has joined up with FibroBiologics to manufacture the company’s spheroids for clinical trials in multiple sclerosis (MS) and several other conditions. The spheroids are groups of fibroblast cells arranged in a three-dimensional (3D) structure that more closely resemble how cells organize in living tissues.

High blood levels of the nerve damage biomarker neurofilament light chain (NfL) significantly increased the risk of people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) converting to definite multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis of clinical trial data. CIS patients with higher NfL levels also made the transition earlier…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) in England had a seven times greater risk of hospitalization and a fourfold increased risk of death from COVID-19 in 2022 than did the general population, according to a study of almost 12 million people in the European nation. The elevated risk of both…

Erectile dysfunction is more likely to occur among men with multiple sclerosis (MS) whose disease is more severe, according to a study, which noted that the ability to contract the cremaster muscle, which controls the position of the testicles, was linked with a decreased likelihood of erectile dysfunction in…

A stem cell transplant effectively reduced the abnormal immune response that drives multiple sclerosis (MS) progression by altering a specific group of immune cells called myeloid cells, a mouse study showed. Treatment with a compound that suppressed a receptor called CSF1R improved the transplantation efficiency of myeloid cells…

The use of obesity medications — approved drugs for treating diabetes and promoting weight loss — is associated with a reduced chance of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to real-world data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a study found. In particular, medicines that activate a receptor…

Kyverna Therapeutics‘ cell-based therapy KYV-101 had an acceptable safety profile and promising treatment effects when given to two people with hard-to-treat progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a case study. “We are very pleased about offering this potentially paradigm-shifting treatment opportunity to patients that have exhausted other medical…

A bilingual graphic educational message, dubbed VISIBL-MS, has been developed by researchers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) to raise awareness about the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The graphic — bearing the word “VISIBLY” in English and “VISIBLE” in Spanish — uses the letters in each phrase…

Coupling a noninvasive brain stimulation procedure with an intensive rehabilitation program significantly improved motor function and balance in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a randomized clinical trial finds. High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive treatment approach that delivers pulses of magnetic fields to modulate nerve…

A small clinical trial in Texas is testing whether a noninvasive magnetic brain stimulation procedure can ease the symptoms of overactive bladder in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). The randomized Phase 2 study (NCT06072703) is ongoing at Houston Methodist Hospital, and is recruiting about 29 women with stable…

A non-invasive scan that measures network activity across the brain was able to predict the outcomes of behavioral therapies designed to improve cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrates. Brain network function, as assessed by the test, called magnetoencephalography (MEG), “could play an important role…

Sergio E. Baranzini, PhD, a scientist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is this year’s winner of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research, awarded by the  National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) for his groundbreaking discoveries in multiple sclerosis (MS). His efforts have helped…

Use of oral ibudilast — being explored as a treatment for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — was found to significantly slow the growth of chronic active lesions in the brains of patients with the neurodegenerative disease, according to MRI data from the SPRINT-MS study. Such lesions…

The ongoing worsening of disability among people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) may be predicted by elevated blood levels of the GFAP protein, a marker of damage to star-shaped support cells in the brain and spinal cord called astrocytes, a study suggests. The risk of disability progression was…

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) may stabilize disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have severe walking impairments — a patient group excluded from clinical trials supporting the therapy’s 2017 approval — a real-world analysis suggests. However, about half of those receiving Ocrevus in this study discontinued…

An increasing number of people in western Norway have been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) after age 50 over the past century, according to a new population study. The rise was primarily driven by people being diagnosed at older ages, with the average age of onset rising from 28.6…

DeepSTI, a new artificial intelligence or AI-assisted MRI algorithm, can generate high-resolution, 3D images of the brain from only one head orientation. This new technology may allow clinicians to use fewer scans to visualize changes in the brain caused by neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), a study…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) engage in significantly more sedentary behaviors — activities like watching TV or using a computer or smartphone versus those requiring physical movement, such as exercise — than do individuals without the progressive disease, according to a pooled analysis of published studies. This effect was…

Extending Tysabri (natalizumab) dosing intervals based on the drug’s blood levels was as effective at controlling disease activity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) as the approved four-week dosing regimen. That’s according to results from NEXT-MS (NCT04225312), a Phase 4 clinical trial studying whether tailoring Tysabri’s…

Nearly two years of treatment with Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) significantly reduced relapse rates by more than 80% in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to the final published details of the EVOLVE-MS-1 clinical trial. MRI scans also showed the number of active inflammatory lesions and new…

iConquerMS, a research initiative where people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) contribute their health data and ideas, is expanding its research program to include caregivers of people with MS. Established in 2014 by the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP), iConquerMS has launched a new website and research…

Measuring the amount of specific antibody clumps in the blood helped distinguish people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from healthy individuals and people with other conditions with an accuracy of at least 90%, a new study has found. The findings show that clumps of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies — which…

A noninvasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can significantly improve walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a pooled analysis of published studies. The technique was effective when applied to the main brain region called the primary motor cortex, which is involved…

Using a vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to prevent the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) is highly likely to be cost-effective, especially when given in early adolescence, according to an Australian modeling study. “The evidence from this study highlights the urgent need for the development of an EBV…

Adhering to a low-fat diet for three months was found to significantly ease fatigue among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a pilot clinical trial. The diet, which restricted total fat intake to less than 20% of calories per day, had a good adherence. Unlike other…