depression

In this installment of our “Expert Voices” series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked psychologist Amy MB Sullivan to answer some of your questions related to implementing integrative medicine in multiple sclerosis care. Sullivan is a board-certified staff clinical health psychologist and the director of behavioral medicine at the Mellen…

Patient-reported cognition difficulties — called subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) — are associated with current work status and with employment deterioration after two years in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. Depression and anxiety also were linked with work status among these MS patients, but such…

Eating a lot of acidic foods like meat, eggs, cheese, and grains — and fewer alkaline ones, such as fruits, vegetables, and milk — is significantly associated with worse depression scores over five years among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. “The level of depression at the…

Daily treatment with an oral antidepressant called bupropion — marketed as Wellbutrin and Zyban, among others — significantly improved some aspects of sexual function in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the results of a randomized trial in Iran. “The results of our study showed bupropion can…

The severity of sexual dysfunction doesn’t seem to be associated with MRI measures of disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS), but it was significantly linked with depression, anxiety, and fatigue, a small study found. The findings highlight the complex nature of sexual dysfunction in MS and “underscore the importance…

Data passively collected by smartphone apps and fitness trackers can be used to accurately predict the risk of depression, severe fatigue, poor sleep quality, and symptom worsening in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) when in-person health visits are suddenly limited. These are the findings of a small study that…

Three months of once-weekly sessions of high-intensity resistance training — consisting of strength exercises followed by a short recovery between sets — effectively eased fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experiencing low energy and tiredness, a trial in Sweden shows. This intervention also lessened feelings of depression and anxiety,…

For the last few months, I’ve been mired in something I can only describe as a funk. My job, my family, my faith, my entire life — no matter what aspect we’re talking about, I felt like I was stuck. I mean like soul-in-a-straitjacket stuck. Honestly, I hadn’t felt anything…

Adding a specialized nurse practitioner (NP) to a neurologist-based standard care team was found to significantly lessen depression and anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a six-month study in Canada. People with multiple sclerosis — dubbed “PwMS” by researchers — who received the add-on…

Exercise prior to being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) was associated with less depression and anxiety among patients, likely due to a reduction in the levels of an inflammatory molecule called interleukin-2 (IL-2), a study revealed. “This finding supports the notion that exercise in the early stages may act…

Some prodromal symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — symptoms that are evident before the disease begins in earnest — could help to predict the course of MS, a new study proposes. In particular, its researchers suggest that MS patients with prodromal depression are more likely to be diagnosed…

Cionic‘s leg-worn Neural Sleeve, recently authorized in the U.S. to aid walking in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions that impair mobility, reduced foot drop in a small clinical trial. Patients in the trial also reported marked reductions in pain and mental health problems, according to…

Many people newly diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) experience substantial “hidden disabilities,” such as depression or fatigue, a study highlights. Findings indicate that treatment with disease-modifying therapies generally does not affect the severity of these problems, at least in the short term. “Considering the substantial impact that hidden…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients undertaking stress-reducing activities — particularly physical and relaxation activities or meditation — at least once a week are less likely to have depression, an international study shows. Additional links were found between physical activity and reduced risk of fatigue, and between meditation and a greater…

Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) report new bouts of depression and anxiety as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but factors that often influence such mental health concerns were not associated with anxiety or depression in the patient group  surveyed for a recent U.S. study. “We found that…

Six weeks of aerobic exercise led to benefits in cognition, fatigue, and depression among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), which may be due to increases in blood levels of a hormone called irisin, according to data from a randomized, controlled trial. “Considering the high prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms…

Eight weeks of an online mindfulness program significantly lowered levels of depression and improved quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers in Australia report. “This study adds to growing evidence on how wellness strategies can help people with MS to reduce symptoms and enable fuller participation…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reported fewer difficulties regulating their emotions, and reduced depressive symptoms when they applied trait mindfulness techniques, a study showed. Trait mindfulness refers to an innate ability to pay and maintain attention to moments in the present with an open, non-judgmental attitude. Notably, the use of…

Photo courtesy of Agata Day 5 of 31 This is Agata’s (@beatingmyms) story: It was 2019. My life was about to turn upside down, and I had no idea. I should’ve noticed the signs: miscarriage, anxiety, depression. I just got married to the love of my life. I…

Move along, move along. Nothing to read here. What a great start to a column! Last week, my worries about MS lifted as I was consumed by a glitch in my computer software. I’m pleased to report that I’ve found a whole series of admittedly fiddly workarounds. I’m even…

Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) and depression or anxiety, especially those of minority groups, are being asked to join a clinical trial assessing the benefits of eSupport Health’s online support group program, the National MS Society announced in a press release. The CONNECT study is particularly focused on Black and…

Having a greater sense of control over life circumstances — a coping resource called mastery — is associated with a significantly lower risk of future depression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, an international study shows. The findings suggest that developing greater mastery may prevent MS patients from developing depression,…

Depression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients greatly raises their risk of vascular disease and death by any cause, a study that compared this patient group with other patients and a matched public reported. Its researchers recommended further work to determine “whether effectively treating depression” might lower these risks for these…

The prevalence of fatigue continues to be high among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) despite significant progress over the years in therapies that change the course of the disease, a large survey study in Norway found. The findings also show that the frequency of fatigue is higher in…

Among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), mindfulness — paying attention to the present moment in a purposeful and nonjudgmental manner — is associated with reduced depression, which also leads to a decrease in fatigue, a small study reports. The study involved 69 relapsing-remitting MS…

Photo courtesy of Caroline Gellatly Day 22 of 31 This is Marissa Green’s story: I am Marissa, a fundraiser, drama therapist, and mental health practitioner who loves the outdoors, cooking, music, and any excuse for a party. My original diagnosis, Balo’s concentric sclerosis, happened in…

Can January March? No, but April May!  OK, well, I thought it was funny.  Nothing beats the January blues like bad puns, right? Let’s face it. For most people, January sucks. The end of the year is full of excitement. There are…

Disability, fatigue, depression, cognitive impairment, and unemployment are primary risk factors for a poor quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent review study. Conversely, higher self-esteem, self-efficacy, resilience, and social support were identified as protective factors for quality of life (QoL).

Patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis with mild to moderate symptoms of depression performed worse on cognitive tests related to multitasking than on those focused on single tasks, a study has found. Notably, no such association was observed among healthy individuals, suggesting an MS-related link between mood,…

A genetic variant may make depression more likely in certain people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than others, a genome-wide study in patients indicates. The study, “Depression in multiple sclerosis patients associated with risk variant near NEGR1,” was published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Depression is characterized by…