March 2, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Remyelination Research in Animal Models, Depression and Neurological Function, Ofatumumab Approval Moves Closer In this column, I’ll be highlighting some of the research presented at this year’s Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, held last week in West Palm Beach, Florida. #ACTRIMS2020 ā Remyelination in Adult Animal Brains Possible via Cell Transplant, Study Says You’ll need…
February 28, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ACTRIMS2020 – Depression in MS Linked to Worsening Neurological Function Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with depression are more likely to have worsening neurological function compared with those who do not have the mood disorder, results from a real-world study show. The findings were presented Feb. 27 by Jenny Feng, MD, in an oral presentation ā titled “…
February 26, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Stopping Tysabri Early Tied to Active PPMS, Smoking and Depression in Patients, Study Finds The likelihood of discontinuing treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) is higher among patients with progressive relapsing multiple sclerosis, and those who smoke and are depressed, a study reported. Progressive relapsing MS (PRMS) is now largely considered a subset of primary progressive MS, or PPMS marked by periods…
January 28, 2020 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Research Australia Grant to Help Doctors Better Diagnose, Treat Depression A psychologist atĀ Swinburne University of TechnologyĀ in Melbourne has been awarded an incubator grant by MS Research Australia to identify ways to better detect and treatĀ depressionĀ in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The grant given to Lisa Grech, PhD,Ā with theĀ School of Health Sciences at Swinburne, is…
December 20, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Managing Money Difficult for MS Patients with Cognitive Problems and Depression, Study Says Effective money management, critical to independent living, is particularly Ā difficultĀ for people whose multiple sclerosis (MS) affects executive thinking skills and who struggle with depressionĀ and anxiety, a study reports. The study, āMoney Management in Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of Cognitive, Motor, and Affective Factors,ā was published in the…
December 19, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Treatment Begins in Part 2 of Trial of Software App Addressing Depression in MS, Pear Says Pear Therapeutics announced that a first patient is being treated in Part 2 of its feasibility trialĀ of Pear-006, a software application that, given along with a disease-modifying therapy, delivers cognitive behavioral therapy and other neurobehavioral approaches to ease depressionĀ in people with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). Pear-006, being developed…
December 3, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Online MS ‘Toolkit’ Created by University Psychologist to Help in Managing Pain and Fatigue Researchers at the University of Michigan developed an online tool to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) manage some of the more life-affectingĀ symptomsĀ of their disease. Called My MSToolkit, the tool is a free and web-based, self-guided program based on behavioral healthcare. It’s designed to help in managing…
November 15, 2019 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Depression, Fatigue Influence Health-related Quality of Life More Than Physical Impairment of MS, Study Reveals Depression and fatigue have a more powerful influence on the overall health-related quality of life, compared to physical impairment, among patients with multiple sclerosis, a new study shows. The study, āContributing factors to healthārelated quality of life in multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Brain and…
October 31, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Medicinal Cannabinoids Not Effective for Mental Disorders, Small Relief on MS Anxiety, Analysis Suggests A joint analysis of 83 studies, involving 3,000 people, concluded that there is “scarce evidence” to say that the use of medicinal cannabinoids ā chemical compounds in the cannabis plant ā is able to improve mental health conditions. However, the use of pharmaceutical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may lead to…
September 23, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Partnership Aims for FDA-approved App That Aids Mental Health in MS, Sanofi Announces SanofiĀ is working with Happify HealthĀ to develop an app that addresses the mental health of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) through cognitive behavior therapy. The physical symptoms of MS, such as fatigue and spasticity, are well-documented. But many patients also struggle with bouts of depression,…
September 3, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Poorer Social Cognition Linked to Worse Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety in People with MS Social cognitive deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are associated with higher levels of fatigue, depressive symptoms, and anxiety, new research conducted at theĀ Kessler FoundationĀ has found. Even though the study included only a small group of participants, it represents a step toward better understanding of the underlying…
August 26, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Persistent MS-related Fatigue Linked to Damage in Specific Brain Regions, Study Finds Persistent fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with damage in specific areas of the brain, regardless of depression symptoms, a study shows. The study, āMicrostructural fronto-striatal and temporo-insular alterations are associated with fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis independent of white…
June 19, 2019 Columns by Stephanie Towler Climbing Out of the Dark Hole of Depression Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic illness accompanied by various symptoms. Depression is one of the most common. Depression is a shape-shifter and affects one’s life in different ways. The dark hole Imagine one week everything is fine. You’re known for being a social butterfly…
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…
May 20, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Study Testing Pear-006 Software Application for Treating Depression Symptoms Pear Therapeutics, in collaboration with Novartis,Ā has launched a study evaluating the clinical use of Pear-006, its software-based prescription digital therapeutics (PDT) product for treating depression symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). PDTs belong to a new class of treatment strategies in healthcare intended to treat diseases,…
May 1, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Women with MS Have Higher Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction, Study Reveals Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to experienceĀ sexual dysfunction and sexual distress than those without the disease, a study reports. According to researchers, the high prevalence of sexual problems among these women may be linked to their age, degree of physical disability, and depression. The…
April 30, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Retrospective Study Analyzes Physical, Mental Differences Between Children with MS and ADS Retrospective comparison between children with multiple sclerosis (MS) and those with related acute demyelinating syndromes (ADS) highlights the implications of fatigue, depression, and quality of life in these patients. Those are the findings from a study, āFatigue, depression, and quality of life in children with multiple sclerosis: a…
April 16, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Trial Testing Deprexis Online Therapy for MS-related Depression Enrolling in US, Germany A clinical trial testing a computer program called Deprexis as a home-based therapeutic strategy for multiple sclerosis (MS)-related depression is enrolling participants with allĀ types of MSĀ at three sites in the U.S. and two in Germany. The U.S. study locations are the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,…
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…
February 19, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Depression, Psychological Distress Symptoms Significantly Affect MS Patients’ Quality of Life, Study Finds Depression and psychological distress symptoms can have a huge effect on the way multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) patients view their well-being, a new study has found. Since depression and psychological distress symptoms can be targeted therapeutically, the study proposes focusing on mental health disorders in MS patients to considerably…
February 11, 2019 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Marijuana and MS, MS Solutions Contest, MS Diagnosis Delays, Medicare DMT Costs Medical Marijuana āCan Help Everyone,ā Says Director at Maryland Cannabis Facility Keeping in mind that the person quoted in this article, Mr. Castleman, is growing medical marijuana to make money, I wouldn’t expect him to say anything else. On the other hand, I firmly believe that some forms of…
February 4, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Gait Disorders and Depression at Onset May Delay Time to MS Diagnosis, Study Finds Awareness of certain symptoms, particularly gait disorders and depression, could be critical for reducing the time it takes to diagnose multiple sclerosisĀ after a patient first contacts a healthcare provider, research shows. In the past 30 years, there has been a major decrease in the time from the…
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 27, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler Lifestyle Factors Tied to MS-related Depression, Large Study Finds Changeable lifestyle factors influence the risk and severity of depression associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study based on a large group of patients shows. According to the study,Ā alcohol consumption in particular was linked negatively withĀ depression incidence and severity. In addition, a healthy diet and vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation…
November 20, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Facing the Reality of the Holiday Season The holiday bustle has begun. As Thanksgiving approaches, I ponder the season and a lump forms in my throat. I am grateful to be here and for the blessings of family and friends. But my heart aches with grief for those loved ones who are no longer with me.
October 11, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2018 ā MS Patients with Depression or Bipolar Disorder at Higher Risk of Disability Worsening, Study Finds Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with depression or bipolar disorder may be at higher risk of becoming incapacitated and seeing their disability worsen faster, according to a Swedish study. A depressive state may increase the central nervous system response’s to inflammation and accelerate the…
September 25, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto With Age, Depression Lessens and Quality of Life Improves in MS Patients, Researchers Report A recent study found that elder individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience significantly less severe depressive symptoms and better quality of life than their younger counterparts. The research, āSubjective well-being differs with age in multiple sclerosis: A brief report,ā was published in the journal Rehabilitation Psychology.
September 6, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Sexual Problems Common Among MS Patients But Often Ignored, Study Reports Sexual problemsĀ are a frequent but unreported symptom ofĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) that affects other symptoms patients experience with this disease, includingĀ depression, a study reports. The study, āFactors associated with sexual dysfunction in individuals with multiple sclerosis,ā published in the International Journal of MS Care. Sexual dysfunctionĀ is…