News

One June 3, a workshop titled “Metabolism in MS and Related Conditions” was presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), held June 1-4 in National Harbor, Maryland. One of the speakers was Dr. David Sheikh-Hamad, professor of medicine-nephrology at Baylor College of…

A single genetic mutation in a gene called Nr1h3, can cause familial multiple sclerosis (MS), reported scientists from the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health. The study, “Nuclear Receptor NR1H3 in Familial Multiple Sclerosis” was published in the journal Neuron. The discovery…

Sexual dysfunction is common for patients affected by neurological disorders, but it does not have to signal the end of a satisfying sex life and intimate lovemaking, according to researchers. Appropriate measures can help patients overcome sexual dysfunction associated with disease. Scientists from around the world discussed the topic at the…

There is a greater number of older people with multiple sclerosis than ever before, and the number is likely to continue growing. That combination, of old age with MS, puts people at risk of significantly reduced physical function than those without the disease. This was a key finding of a…

The use of assistive devices is ineffective for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a study recently presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting concluded. But physical training using such devices can help improve mobility and the result is usually accompanied by a lower level of signaling…

Researchers at Texas Woman’s University identified tai chi as a beneficial therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with impaired balance, as it can improve their endurance and strength and decrease fatigue. The results of the study, “The Benefit of Tai Chi for Balance and Gait in People with…

Researchers from Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital found that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who complain of speech limitations or difficulty in swallowing cannot produce specific phonemes, which may be a helpful way of objectively quantifying these symptoms in MS patients. The findings were recently reported in an oral presentation titled “Rate of…

Two case reports from the Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting demonstrated how a multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical practice guideline for rehabilitation was implemented through the rehab path, highlighting the importance of consistency of practice and continuity of care for…

Being lonely can be very difficult to define as it is not only the popularly assumed situation of being alone. You can be lonely in a room full of people if you don’t know anyone well enough to speak to them; conversely, you can be happy when alone, in your…

Increasing evidence suggests that our gut microbiome is able to regulate brain processes and trigger neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Scientists from around the world discussed these themes at the recent Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Copenhagen, Denmark. “The gut microbiome can influence the central…

Positive results from a home-based exercise intervention designed to target flexibility, toning, and balance for older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggests that exercise is important for improving  patient quality of life. The study, “A Qualitative Study of a Home-Based DVD Exercise Intervention in Older Adults with Multiple Sclerosis,” was…

Most research in multiple sclerosis (MS) has focused on the impact of the disease on the lower extremities. To balance this, researchers at Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Connecticut thoroughly characterized upper arm and hand functions in MS patients, finding that disease duration and disability level differently affected various…

Research from Indiana University School of Medicine showed that D3T – a compound that triggers copying of antioxidant genes and production of the antioxidant glutathione – delays disease development and lowers disease severity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal models. The models mimicked multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans, advancing further exploration…

Researchers at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Washington and Novartis Pharma revealed that Gilenya (fingolimod) induced a consistent and significant reduction in disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The results were recently presented at the June 1-4 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual…

Understanding and combining decision-making processes of both patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and physical therapists to improve balance and gait — the movement of the lower limbs for locomotion — may help optimize patient outcomes. The findings were recently shown in an oral presentation titled “Understanding Engagement Decisions to Maximize Gait…

Data recently presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting showed that Roche/Genentech’s investigational drug ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) lowered the risk of disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), a condition for which no approved treatments exist. The study was presented during the “…

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, was founded more than 35 years ago and has been focused on a variety of research fields, including cancer, immunology, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases. Genentech has been committed to discovering and developing new medicines for patients with major diseases of the nervous…

Results from a Phase 2 clinical trial showed that five-year clinical outcomes of patients with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) are significantly improved when patients are treated with high-dose immunosuppressive therapy combined with autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. The study, “Five-Year Outcomes of Halt-MS: High-
Dose Immunosuppressive Therapy and Autologous Hematopoietic Cell…

Results from the STRIVE study support the safety of natalizumab (Tysabri) as a therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study, “Natalizumab in Anti-JC Virus Seronegative Patients with Early Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Interim Results from the STRIVE Study,” was recently presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis…

Newly diagnosed patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) show significant improvements when treated with delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF), especially in terms of reduction in confirmed disability progression. The study, “Efficacy of Delayed-Release Dimethyl Fumarate in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Using a Composite Measure of Disability,” was recently presented at the…

A study of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients who had one or more relapses on earlier treatment, showed that alemtuzumab (Lemtrada) improved disability progression over five years, even though most patients received treatment only during the first two years. The study showed that alemtuzumab is a viable option for long-term…

Melissa A. Colbeck, an investigator at the Occupational Therapy, Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, Canada, studied how different sensory processing approaches, cognition, and fatigue influence the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings suggested that establishing a relationship between the three factors and quality of life…

Mayis Al Dughmi, of the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Kansas Medical Center, recently presented her findings on the relationship between fatigue, measured using the Neurological Fatigue Index (NFI-MS), and sleep quality and attentiveness in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings indicate that cognitive…

A study, recently presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Md., showed MS patients of African decent might better benefit from treatment with alemtuzumab (Lemtrada) compared to subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (Rebif) – with lower rates of relapses evident over five years…

Assessing and treating psychiatric disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may improve their quality of life and disease prognosis, according to researchers at Harvard Medical School, who presented their work titled “Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Multiple Sclerosis: Assessment and Management” at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)…

Dr. Rosalind Kalb, vice president of the Professional Resource Center at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in New York City, recently presented her work at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) June 1-4 in National Harbor, Maryland. She participated in several symposiums, primarily “Gaining Perspectives on Advanced…

Researchers at the University of Arizona studied the psychosocial symptoms felt by a group of female patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) from the southwestern United States, and found significant relationships between depression, fatigue, and cognitive decline — symptoms also related with poorer quality of life and reduced mental and…

The “Comprehensive Care in MS and Symptom Management” session at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2016 Annual Meeting, included a different kind of contribution –  the presentation of a short film exposing the health challenges specific to Hispanic patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Intended to promote…

Researchers who looked at manifestations of loneliness found that the burden of loneliness is much higher in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients when compared to healthy people. The study, “Loneliness in Multiple Sclerosis: Putative Antecedents and Manifestations,” was recently presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) June…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using an interactive, self-guided fatigue management resource, developed by researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada, reported lower fatigue and improved cognition after three months, showing that fatigue self-management tools can contribute to the treatment of this common MS symptom. The pilot study, “…