May 11, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Diet Plays a Role in MS Progression Through Its Impact on Astrocytes, Researchers Say Dietary habits and the composition of the gut flora canĀ influenceĀ neuroinflammation and affect the outcome of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published in the journalĀ Nature MedicineĀ and titled “Type I interferons and microbial metabolites of tryptophan modulate astrocyte activity and central nervous…
May 10, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Severe Rebound Effects Found in ‘Relevant’ Number of MS Patients After Stopping Fingolimod Rebound symptoms after stoppingĀ fingolimod (Gilenya) treatment affect a “clinically relevant” number of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients,Ā a study byĀ University of California, San Francisco, researchers reported. The study called attention to the need for determining the best method of sequencing or stopping MS treatments, and highlighted the need to identify factors…
May 10, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Prime Minister Trudeau Meets with MS Society of Canada in Show of Support for MS Awareness Month Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other lawmakersĀ met with members of the multiple sclerosis (MS) community and theĀ Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC)Ā at the start of May,Ā MS Awareness Month,Ā to discuss issues of importance to those living withĀ the disease. From left: Hedy Fry, a member of Parliament;…
May 9, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Combined Use of Imaging Techniques Allows Scientists to Peer Into Myelin Formation TheĀ evolution of the myelin sheath throughout childhood has beenĀ visualizedĀ in vivoĀ for a first time, according toĀ findingsĀ reported in the study “Mapping an index of the myelin g-ratio in infants using magnetic resonance imaging,” published in the journalĀ NeuroImage. To function well, nerve cells in theĀ brain rely on…
May 9, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – High Glutamate Levels in Brain Seen to Drive MS Progression Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate in their brains, lowering the levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) ā a processĀ that likely leads to the loss of brain volume. The findings indicate that glutamate might be a driver of neuronal cell death and disease progression in MS,…
May 6, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Celebrate Vision Health Month by Getting Your Eyes Examined, Optometrist Group Says The Canadian Association of Optometrists is urging peopleĀ to have theirĀ eyes examined regularly as a part of their preventive care routine. The plea, an education initiative for May ā which is Vision Health Month ā stresses that comprehensive eye exams are important even for people with good vision, because they…
May 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Yoga and Aquatic Exercise Seen to Markedly Ease MS-related Depression and Fatigue Exercises like yoga and aquatic programsĀ can help ease some symptoms ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS),Ā especiallyĀ fatigue, depression and paresthesia, researchers report in a studyĀ published in the journalĀ Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and titled āExercising Impacts on Fatigue, Depression, and Paresthesia in Female Patients with Multiple…
May 5, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Key Pathway in Antibody B-Cell Production Identified, Important to Diseases Like MS Scientists discovered two key players āĀ TBK1 and ICOS āĀ that control the effective production of antibodies and may offer newĀ insights into potential therapies for autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. The study, āA TRAF-like motif of the inducible costimulator ICOS controls development of germinal center TFH cells via the…
May 5, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD New Phase 2 Trial of a B-cell Antibody, TG-1101, to Treat Relapsing MS Getting Underway TG TherapeuticsĀ recently announced the opening of a newĀ clinical trial evaluating TG-1101, its glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The Phase 2 clinical trial, titled “A Placebo-Controlled Multi-Center Phase 2 Dose Finding Study of Ublituximab, a Third-Generation Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibody, in Patients…
May 4, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Acthar Gel an Effective Treatment for MS Relapses at Lower Cost, Company Reports Clinical results presented at the recentĀ Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)‘s 2016 annual meetingĀ in San Francisco showed that the use of H.P. Acthar Gel during multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses is associated with beneficial outcomes.Ā The gel, according to its producer,Ā is also available at a lower price than other frequently used…
May 4, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD CHMP Favors European Approval of Zinbryta (Daclizumab) to Treat Relapsing MS The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently recommended marketing authorization to Zinbryta (daclizumab) for the treatment of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Zinbryta (daclizumabĀ HYP) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that is injected every four weeks, and being developed by…
May 3, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Opexa’s CEO Gives Update on T-Cell Therapy at Vatican Conference Opexa Therapeutics, Inc., announced that itsĀ president and chief executive officer, Neil K. Warma, recently gave a presentation on immunotherapy and itsĀ potential forĀ treating autoimmune disorders, includingĀ multiple sclerosis, at the recentĀ Cellular Horizons:Ā The Third International Conference on the Progress of Regenerative Medicine and its Cultural ImpactĀ held at the Vatican. Neil…
May 3, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Society Awards UT Researcher $490K to Study Link Between Blood Flow and Cognition The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ has awarded Dr. Bart Rypma, an associate professor at the Center for BrainHealth at theĀ University of Texas at Dallas, aĀ more than $490,000 grant to studyĀ how changes in blood flow in the brain mightĀ affectĀ cognition in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The grant buildsĀ on previous research…
May 2, 2016 News by Charles Moore European Program Aims to Develop Wearable Devices to Monitor and Treat MS A major new European research program to develop waysĀ of monitoring three mainĀ central nervous system diseases āmultiple sclerosis (MS), depressive disorder, and epilepsy ā using wearable devices and smartphones was launched on April 26. The RADAR-CNS (Remote assessment of disease and relapse Central Nervous System) project, supported by the Innovative…
May 2, 2016 News by BioNews Staff #CMSC16 – An Interview with Dr. Fred Lublin of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai Dr. Fred Lublin, a neuroimmunologist with a specialty in experimental therapies, will open this year’s annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers on June 1 with an address questioning the continuing importance of relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS). But the question raised by the title of the…
April 29, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD $185M Gift to UCSF Will Support New Neurosciences Institute A gift worthĀ $185 million from Joan and Sanford I. Weill toĀ the University of California San FranciscoĀ (UCSF) will allow the university to expand itsĀ neurosciences programs and facilities,Ā advancing its research work into psychiatric, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The gift, the largest single donation in UCSF history, is…
April 29, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Measures of Subtle Movements While Standing Detects Neurologic Problems in MS Patients and Athletes with Concussions Researchers atĀ Purdue UniversityĀ haveĀ developed a method of identifying subtle oscillations in a personās posture that mirror an excessive delay in neuromuscular responses, indicating a neurologic deficit. The oscillations, which differ from the normal tendency of a standing person to sway, mayĀ aid in diagnosing neuromuscular disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
April 28, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Multiple Sclerosis Consortium Sets Up MS Clinical Trial Database of Patient Records for Research Use The Multiple Sclerosis Outcome Assessments Consortium (MSOAC) is making available to qualified researchers a new database containing almost 2,500 records ofĀ patients who were part of theĀ placebo groups of nine multiple sclerosis (MS) studies. The MSOAC is a large-scale partnership, launched by the National MS Society and Critical…
April 28, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cognitive Difficulties Known to MS Traced to Problems in Nerve Cell Activity in Hippocampus In a study published in the International Neurology Journal, researchers showed that cognitive deficits, such as memory problems, in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS) are mirrored by changes in synaptic transmission and plasticity in the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory processing. The findings…
April 27, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Gut Bacteria Affects Myelin Content and Induces MS-Like Depression in Mice, Study Reports Researchers atĀ the Center of Excellence for Myelin Repair, a part of Mount Sinai, reportedĀ that gut bacteria produce compounds that were seen to affect theĀ myelinĀ content in mice and cause social avoidance behaviors. StudyĀ results indicated that targeting gut bacteria, or the gut metabolites, mightĀ help in treatingĀ neuropsychiatric disorders or complications, such as those…
April 27, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MedDayās MD1003, a Biotin, Shows ‘Remarkable’ Efficacy in Treating Inactive but Progressive MS in Clinical Trials MedDayĀ recently disclosed full study results from the MS-SPI and MS-ON Phase 2b/3 trials ofĀ its therapeutic candidate MD1003 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, the trials included people with “not active”Ā progressive MS and those with either relapsing or progressive MS andĀ visual loss, respectively. Data, presented at the recentĀ American…
April 26, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cytokine Once Thought Only to Promote Inflammation Now Seen to Have Restorative Properties, Too Researchers at the School of Medicine of the University of California (UC), Riverside, found that TNF-alpha, a factor known for its pro-inflammatory actions, also triggers processes that end inflammation by inducing a type of immune surveillance cell, called M-cells. By advancing our understanding of immune processes, the findingĀ mayĀ lead to…
April 26, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD At-Home ‘Brain Training’ Program for MS Patients Reported to Improve Cognitive Skills by 29% Multiple sclerosis patients using a cognitive remediation computer training program, part ofĀ a controlled trial by researchers fromĀ NYU Langone Medical Center,Ā had greaterĀ improvements in cognitive function than those who used a placebo-training program, according to a presentationĀ at the recentĀ American Academy of NeurologyĀ annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Problems in attention, memory,…
April 25, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC16 – MS Experts Agree on Benefits of Vitamin D Supplements, Despite Mostly Circumstantial Evidence A roundtable discussion, provided as a webinarĀ organized by theĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā in advance of its June conference, considered the role of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers concluded that, while evidence is only circumstantialĀ as to theĀ vitamin’s ability to prevent disease relapses, its multiple health benefits justify…
April 22, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Florida Atlantic University Researcher Awarded $540K NIH Grant to Research Collagen Degradation in Diseases Like MS A researcher atĀ Florida Atlantic University (FAU)Ā has been awarded a $540,250 grant from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, to support continued research into the collagen degradative processesĀ linked to connective tissueĀ diseasesĀ likeĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Gregg Fields, a professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and…
April 22, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Biogen and AbbVie Present New Data Showing Zinbryta, an RRMS Drug Candidate, Aids Cognition Without Immune Depletion New data presented byĀ BiogenĀ andĀ AbbVieĀ at the recent 68th annual meeting of theĀ American Academy of Neurology (AAN) showed that ZinbrytaĀ (daclizumab high-yield process) improved cognitive outcome measures in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS). Additional results ā from post-hoc analyses of clinicalĀ trials ā also offer a better…
April 21, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Mayo Clinic Neurologist, Creator of MS Lesion Tissue Bank, Receives 2016 John Dystel Prize for MS Research Dr. Claudia Lucchinetti, chair of the Department of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic and the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Professor of Neurosciences, hasĀ received the 2016 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research, an honor jointly awarded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Academy of Neurology…
April 21, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Lymphoma Drug, Rituximab, Highly Effective in Treating Relapsing MS, Study from Sweden Reports Mabthera (rituximab), a widely approved drug for treating lymphoma and/or rheumatoid arthritis, is highly effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers reported in an observational study in Sweden, where Mabthera is increasingly being used outside of its approved indications to treat relapsing-remitting MS patients. The study, published in the journal…
April 20, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Welcomes Mud-Loving Runners to Tramp Through Its 5K ‘MuckFest MS’ Fundraiser The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ and Event360Ā announced the openingĀ of the 2016 season of MuckFest MS, a 5K “mud run” and fundraiserĀ withĀ over 20 obstacles along its course to challenge and entertain people of all athletic levels. This year’s run will take place in 11 cities across the U.S., including a…
April 20, 2016 News by admin Biogen Releases New Data Showing Effectiveness of Tecfidera in Newly Diagnosed MS Patients at AAN 2016 BiogenĀ reported new data describing the effectiveness of TecfideraĀ (dimethyl fumarate) in newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in a recent presentation at the 68th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The conference, taking placeĀ in Vancouver, Canada, runs through April 21. Tecfidera is an…