February 15, 2024 News by Steve Bryson, PhD MS trial to test magnetic brain stimulation for overactive bladder 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…
November 15, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Noninvasive brain stimulation may help with walking ability: Analysis 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…
August 23, 2023 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Brain stimulation may offer promise for spasticity in MS: Study Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may offer promise for treating spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS), but more work is needed to identify the best approach to use for patients, according to a new review study. The studies under review generally indicated that a type of brain stimulation called repetitive…
December 12, 2022 News by Joana Vindeirinho, PhD Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Can Ease Some MS Symptoms: Review Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may be able to reduce fatigue, spasticity, and pain, and improve quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new meta-analysis reports. The review assessed several NIBS interventions targeting different brain regions. The results suggest that these techniques can have immediate effects…
July 15, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Helius Offers Online PoNS Training to MS Patients’ Therapists Helius Medical Technologies has launched an online training module for physical therapists who wish to use the company’s Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) device to treat gait deficits in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The on-demand training modules for healthcare providers in the U.S. are now live, with…
June 9, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD PoNS Device Improves Walking Skills Early On, New Data Show Using the portable neuromodulation stimulatorĀ (PoNS) device during a targeted exercise program significantly improves walking skills in people with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), according to recent real-word data. Notably, significant improvements were observed from the second week onward, and more than half of the 42 patients patients experienced clinically meaningful gains…
April 29, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD PoNS Device for MS-associated Gait Problems Now Available in US The portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device, which improves walking abilities in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), is now available commercially in the U.S. for patients ages 22 and older who have a prescription from their healthcare provider. The device was approved last year by the U.S. Food…
May 28, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD At-home Brain Stimulation Program Now Available New York University (NYU) Langone Health has launched an at-home, therapeutic program of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) ā a type of non-invasive brain stimulation ā to reduce cognitive, motor, speech, or mood symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other brain disorders. A first of its kind, the…
December 17, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Cannabis, Switching Interferons, Brain Stimulation by Smartphone, Lipoic Acid MS Patients Report Beneficial Effects of Cannabis with Few Side Effects, Survey Shows This survey agrees with what I’ve found in my limited experience with cannabis (in my case, CBD oil). A small amount can ease some of my spasticity and help me to get a better…
May 24, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Brain Stimulation Done at Slower Rates May Be Best for MS and Other Patients as Neurons ‘Tire,’ Study Says A non-invasive procedure using magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain may be moreĀ effective in treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and other patients if the rate of stimulation is slowed, a new study suggests, finding that neurons “tire” with overstimulation and may fail to respond. The research, āLess might be…
March 14, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc National MS Society to Award $433,800 to Support 10 Pilot Research Projects The National Multiple Sclerosis Society will award $433,800 to 10 high-risk pilot studies that will quickly evaluate new strategies and interventions and enhance knowledge about multiple sclerosis (MS). According to a press release, the award winners will address different aspects of the disease, including potential treatments for fatigue and loneliness, to improve patients' walking abilities, and a strategy to change gut bacteria effects in MS. The year-long Pilot Research Grant program is a way to support early-stage research projects to quickly test their effectiveness. The MS Society also said that additional projects will be awarded this year. Results of a recent survey of approximately 300 pilot grant recipients revealed the program successfully promotes new ideas and brings new researchers to the MS field. About 90 percent of the respondents agreed that the financial support was very important for their research project. In 85 percent of cases, the grant supported new ideas, and in 56 percent it allowed support for additional grants. These pilot grants allow researchers to obtain preliminary data so they can decide to apply for additional funding, if the project looksĀ promising, or to put the idea to rest.
January 29, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Medical Marijuana Gum, Brain Stimulation and Fatigue, Gilenya Study, Invisible Diseases Holland Approves Clinical Trial Plans for AXIMās Cannabis-based Gum for MS Pain and Spasticity Because the state where I live has only recently approved the use of medical marijuana, I haven’t had the opportunity to try it for my MS. From what I’ve read, various blends of…
January 25, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Reduces MS-associated Cognitive Fatigue One single session of non-invasive brain stimulation can reduce cognitive fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), say researchers at Germany’s Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. Their study, āElectrophysiological and behavioral effects of frontal transcranial direct current stimulation on cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the…
October 9, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Lemtrada, Copaxone Generic, ATL1102 Trial, and Brain Stimulation Lemtrada Prevented Progression of Multiple Sclerosis for Five Years, Study Shows Full disclosure: I’m being treated with Lemtrada, so any news about it lights up my radar like a Christmas tree. I’m 10 months post-round 1 and am doing well ā and this news looks like it’s…
October 6, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Therapy That Just Might Beat MS Fatigue I’ve had a cold for two weeks. So, I’ve been more tired than usual. Too tired, in fact, to write the column that was supposed to post last Tuesday. (I apologize to all of you who wait, with bated breath, for the appearance of the MS Wire each…
October 3, 2017 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Reduces MS Fatigue, NYU Study Shows Non-invasive brain stimulation reduces fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients, concludes a study by researchers atĀ New York University. Fatigue is one the most disabling symptoms of MS, affecting roughly 75 percent of people with the disease. Doctors often prescribe drugs to treat narcolepsy, as well as behavior-based treatments and exercise programs, but their benefits have not been consistent. This led scientists to study a technique of brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which had shown positive results in earlier neurology studies, including improvements of cognitive symptoms in MS. In tDCS, doctors place electrodes on the scalp via a headset to apply a low-amplitude electrical current at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex ā a brain region believed to play a role in fatigue and cognitive symptoms. The technique has been proven safe and tolerable. The NYU study randomly assigned 27 MS patients to receive either tDCS or placebo. Patients got treatment while playing a cognitive game directed at the brainās processing speed and working memory. Sessions lasted 20 minutes each and took place five days a week, at patientsā homes. Participants reported their level of fatigue after 20 sessions, using a scale known as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) that grades fatigue on a score of up to 32. A higher score correlates with more fatigue. The results showed a significant 5.6-point drop with tDCS, compared to a 0.9 point increase in the placebo group. Furthermore, patients may benefit from more sessions, since those who underwent 20 sessions reduced fatigue more than those who did only 10. The study also showed that patients with the most fatigue at baseline saw the biggest improvements. Remarkably, many participants reduced their fatigue to near-normal levels, researchers observed. Further studies are needed to ascertain the precise mechanism behind tDCS. Scientists believe it changes the brainās excitability, which improves connections and facilitates learning. Meanwhile, the study's authors strongly advise MS patients not to try over-the-counter stimulation technologies outside of a reliable research setting. The research team plans to test tDCS in larger clinical trials for MS-related fatigue, motor and cognitive symptoms. Currently, the Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center at NYU Langone Health is the only one in the United States to offer tDCS to MS patients.