May 21, 2019 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Staying Afloat in the Middle of the Storm The storms keep coming. Whenever I think I will land ashore, a hurricane sends me back into the eye of the storm. I want to write; however, I fall short of time and, ultimately, the words to explicate all I am going through. Most writers have interval writer’s block. Emotional…
March 1, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 ā Health-related Quality of Life in MS Patients Linked to Comorbidities There is a need for better diagnosis and treatment management of comorbidities ā simultaneously occurring disorders ā in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), as shown by the impact these additional health issues have on patientsā health-related quality of life, according to a new report. The data was presented by Lara…
January 31, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Anxiety and Depression Linked to Cognitive Issues in MS, Other Diseases, Study Finds Anxiety and depression are associated with lower cognitive abilities in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) other and immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such asĀ inflammatory bowel diseaseĀ (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis, a study shows. These findings indicate the importance of managing symptoms of anxiety and depression in MS, as…
January 16, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Mindfulness Protects Against Depression, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Sleep Issues in MS Patients, Study Finds Mindfulness protects against depression, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), improving their quality of life and overall well-being, a study finds. The study, “Longitudinal associations between mindfulness and well-being in people with multiple sclerosis,” was published in the International Journal…
December 20, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: Managing Depression and Anxiety When You Have MS Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question is inspired by the forum topicĀ “Anxiety and Depression with MS” from April 30.
November 21, 2018 Columns by Cathy Chester Taking a Break from the News to Keep Stress at Bay We live in a turbulent, violent, and hostile society. We wake up every day to news of another mass shooting, Mother Nature causing unstoppable damage, loud protests by politicians or citizens, or an exchange of angry barbs across social media. Ā Bad news…
August 29, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Poor Sleep Common in MS, Linked to Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety, Study Reports Poor sleep quality is very common among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and is associated with a lower quality of life, and greater fatigue, depression and anxiety, according to a real-world study in patients treated with Betaferon (interferon beta-1b). The study, ā…
August 16, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Patients With Anxiety, Depression Symptoms More Likely to Report Need for Mental Healthcare, Study Shows One-third of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in a Canadian study report a need for mental healthcare, with symptoms of anxiety and depression ā but not current diagnosed mental health disorders ā identified as predominant factors. The study, āFactors associated with perceived need for mental health care in multiple…
July 18, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Other Conditions’ Symptoms May Foretell Onset of MS, Canadian Data Suggest Many patients report a history of other conditions such as migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and mood and anxiety disorders, before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). According to a new study, these symptoms could be warning signs of MS and help in its early detection. “Prodrome” is a…
July 13, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Inability to Express or Process Emotions Also Prevalent in MS Patients, Study Reports A significant number ofĀ multiple sclerosisĀ patients show signs not only of depression and anxiety, but also of alexithymia ā an inability to describe or process emotional responses, a research group in Brazil reported. The study, āHigh levels of alexithymia in patients with multiple sclerosis,ā published in the…
July 5, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Stress and MS: Time to Chill How do you manage stress when you are stressed? How do you avoid letting stress dominate not only your mind but also your physical being? I wish I knew. At my first clinic following my MS diagnosis, the doctor warned me about stress and its effect on MS. I…
June 7, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Dog Hair? Who Cares. How MS Freed Me I just saw a couple of āgolden tumbleweedsā swirl past my feet. My attempts at keeping a clean house are no match for Abby’s ever-falling golden locks, and I am OK with that. There was a time when those two balls of hair would have elicited profound anxiety. The anxiety…
June 4, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Family Support and Identity Seen to Affect Depression, Mood Swings in MS Patients in UK Study A survey ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients that looked at their sense of social identity based on their family relations ā meant to help explain mood disorders like depression and anxiety seen in this population ā found a clear link between the strength of family bonds and mood, a U.K. study…
April 9, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson Taking My MS on a Road Trip OnĀ Good Friday, my family and I took a three-day road trip to lay my husband to rest. Our goal was to honor his last wishes and set his ashes free in the wilderness that he so loved. My husband enjoyed going archery hunting almost every fall, until a…
April 6, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Online Meditation Course Seen to Help MS Patients Manage Symptoms in Clinical Trial Online training inĀ Ā meditationĀ based on mindfulness can improve the quality of life for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients while easing depression, anxiety, and sleep problems, a study conducted in Italy reports. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that interventions able…
March 26, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Canadian Study Links Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Disability in Women with MS Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders contribute to physical disability in women with multiples sclerosis, according to a Canadian study that confirmed the results of previous research. The article the team wrote, āPsychiatric comorbidity is associated with disability progression in multiple sclerosis,āĀ appeared in the journal…
March 19, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Pain Affect in MS Associated with Physical and Psychiatric Comorbidities Physical and psychiatric comorbidities in multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)Ā patientsĀ are associated with an increased risk of experiencing more pain ā namely pain intensity and pain affect. The research to support that finding, āPsychiatric and physical comorbidities and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the Journal of Pain…
January 29, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson Tips to Ease Anxiety, an Often Overlooked Effect of MS Since the onset of my MS, I have been acutely aware that stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on my body. Being anxious is not a comfortable feeling, whether you have a chronic illness or not. This past weekend was my husband’s celebration of life service. With his…
December 19, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Additional Diseases Increase Risk of MS Relapses, Canadian Study Shows Multiple sclerosis patients with additional diseases, high cholesterol levels or a history of migraine headaches are more likely to experience relapses than other patients, a Canadian study shows. The report, āComorbidity increases the risk of relapse in multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Neurology. Researchers…
October 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 – Study Links Depression to Increased Disability in Women with MS AĀ University of British ColumbiaĀ study found a link between depression and increased disability in women with multiple sclerosis. Dr.Ā Kyla McKay said the studyĀ of more than 1,200 patients found no link between anxiety or bipolar disorder and increased disability, however. She presented theĀ findings at the 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting in…
September 28, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Active Brain Inflammation Helps Cause Anxiety, Depression in RRMS Patients, Study Finds Active brain inflammation appears to be one of the causes driving anxiety and depression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), finds an Italian study published in the journal Neurology. RRMS is the most common form of the disease when patients are initially diagnosed. Multiple sclerosis patients…
July 31, 2017 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Patients Often Suffer Depression, Other Symptoms Within First Year of Diagnosis, Study Finds Multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients in the first year of diagnosis frequently sufferĀ from depression, pre-morbid personality, self-perception issues and other psychological problems, an Italian study finds.Ā Yet it isĀ hard to predict the degree of symptoms since MS takes a different course in each individual. The study, āThe first year after…
June 29, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Poor Caregiver Mental Health Might Shorten Lifespan of MS Patients Under Their Care The stress of caring for a family member with multiple sclerosis (MS) or another neurodegenerative disease may directly affect the quality of care, according to a study showing that poor caregiver mental health causesĀ higher mortality rates among the patients they care for. The study, published in the journal Proceedings…
June 19, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Highlights Diet, Lifestyle Research Focusing on Living Well With Multiple Sclerosis The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) SocietyĀ has selectedĀ research highlightsĀ from a recent MS conferenceĀ in an effort to help make living with the disease less burdensome. Presentations from the May 24-27Ā annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) in New Orleans ā which ranged fromĀ advice on smartphone apps to diet…
June 1, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD EMD Serono Launches MS Care Partner Survey with IACO to Honor May 31, World MS Day 2017 ToĀ honor World MS Day, May 31,Ā EMD SeronoĀ launched a multiple sclerosis care partner survey in collaboration with the International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO). The new survey comes after the initial results from aĀ MerckĀ studyĀ showed that the highest number of MS care partners are aged 18-34, and that…
January 4, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Survey Assesses How Health Professionals Treat Other Health Conditions in MS Patients Healthcare providers frequently assess multiple sclerosis (MS) patients for the development of other health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, pain and sleep disturbance, according to results of a survey-study. The study also includes information about how health professionals treat and counsel MS patients diagnosed with these conditions. The study, ā…
August 11, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Improving Confidence of RRMS Patients May Enhance Quality of Life, Decrease Depression, Study Finds Increasing a person’s confidence that they can complete tasks and reach goals in specific situations may benefit patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). In a new study, researchers used an intensive three-day social cognitive treatment, called Can Do, to increaseĀ patients’ self-efficacy, which resulted in long lasting improvements in their health-related…
June 22, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Fatigue That Troubles MS Patients Linked to Other Ills Stemming from the Disease Fatigue, the most commonly reported symptom in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), is associated with diseaseĀ comorbidities such as depression, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, and anxiety, according to the study “Fatigue and Comorbidities in Multiple Sclerosis,” recently published in the International Journal of MS Care.
June 6, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Assessing and Treating Psychiatric Disorders in MS Patients May Improve Prognosis, Quality of Life Assessing and treating psychiatric disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may improve their quality of life and diseaseĀ 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)…
November 3, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Psychiatric Comorbidity Among Multiple Sclerosis Patients Reported to Be Common Psychiatric comorbidity is common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and affects the MS community more frequentlyĀ than a matched control population, although the incidence is stable over time, according to recent findings of a study published in the journal Neurology, the Official Journal of the American Academy…