diagnosis

Recent updates to the McDonald criteria — the internationally recognized guidelines used to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) — may support earlier and more accurate diagnoses. But the changes are also expected to require researchers to rethink how clinical trials testing new MS therapies are run, and better biomarkers…

Raised by a single mom, I always knew I had someone in my corner, encouraging my wildest dreams, while supporting me through my journey with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). For as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven by a desire to challenge myself and embrace new…

Computer-based analyses of microorganisms in the digestive tract can distinguish people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from healthy individuals with high accuracy, according to a new study. The analysis looked beyond gut bacteria to include other organisms like fungi and viruses. The findings suggest these comprehensive microbial profiles could eventually…

The number of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) has risen steadily over the past two decades, but the increase appears to be driven largely by longer survival after diagnosis rather than by more people developing the disease. That’s according to findings of a large study that analyzed nationwide…

A new report from the National MS Society reveals that despite major advances in treatments over the last few decades, people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) still face massive gaps in their care — particularly when it comes to managing crushing fatigue, stopping disease progression, and reversing nerve…

I am attending the annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) this week, my second time here. Like my first time, in 2024, I’m going as a member of the multiple sclerosis (MS) committee of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Back then, I thought all…

Advocates around the globe are coming together this Saturday, May 30, for World MS Day to push for better care, earlier diagnoses, and increased awareness for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Launched in 2009 by the MS International Federation (MSIF), a coalition of MS advocacy groups,…

Decode Health and Circular Genomics are partnering to use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify patterns in circular RNA — stable genetic molecules able to signal disease — that may help diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) earlier and monitor its progression over time. The collaboration brings together Circular Genomics’…

I had never known anyone personally who had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Walking my husband, Rhead, through those doors was one of the strangest moments of my life — not strange in a dramatic way, but strange in the quiet, disorienting way of realizing your life has become…

As I write this, the April showers that bring May flowers have brought forth a string of gloomy days here in central Texas. During days like these, I cannot help but be reminded of my grandma, who passed away about a year ago after a battle with dementia. I remember…

In recognition of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in March, the MS Awareness Month campaign features a series of stories highlighting the real-life experiences of people affected by MS, written in their own words. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and Pinterest for more stories like this,…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has become far more common in England over the past two decades, but people diagnosed more recently are living longer, according to a study led by University College London (UCL). The shift reflects major advances in MS diagnosis and care. But researchers found that social…

When Brenda Snow started experiencing vertigo, vision problems, and other symptoms in the early 1990s, she visited several doctors. However, as often happens with complex conditions, she struggled to have her concerns validated. Snow, who lived in Northern California at the time, didn’t give up. She continued looking for answers…

A “molecular atlas” of disease that can predict illness years before symptoms appear is the goal of a massive new research project analyzing blood samples from U.S. military service members. Known as ORIGIN, the initiative uses stored samples from the Department of Defense to hunt for early warning signs of…

A new machine learning tool can now help predict whether people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) will experience disability worsening that occurs even in the absence of relapses. According to a recent study, these artificial intelligence algorithms can identify the risk of “progression independent of relapse activity,” or…

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have children experience significantly longer waits before receiving a diagnosis than women without children, according to a new U.S. study. On average, each child was associated with an additional 1.28-year delay in diagnosis. The delay was even longer among women whose symptoms…

Due to my uneasiness with heights, I complained a lot about parachuting throughout my career in the U.S. Army. There’s a small chance, however, that I haven’t been entirely fair. Sure, I was afraid every time, made some less-than-stellar landings, and sustained a few injuries, but those were really…

Octave Bioscience is entering into a collaboration with Quest Diagnostics to expand access to its multiple sclerosis disease activity (MSDA) test, which uses data from a set of blood biomarkers to measure how active a patient’s disease is in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the MSDA…

More than 3 million doses of Vueway (gadopiclenol), a lower-dose gadolinium contrast MRI agent used to diagnose and monitor conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), have been administered at more than 900 customer sites, maker Bracco Diagnostics said. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in children…

Simultaneously measuring levels of two blood proteins — glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) — may offer a clearer way to track both disease activity and disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new long-term study. Each…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) share similar symptoms but are two biologically distinct conditions, with different immune signatures, a study found. These findings help explain why treatments approved for MS generally show limited effectiveness for MOGAD, researchers said. “These findings support MOGAD as its…

As I sit down at my desk to write this, tears are streaming down my face. My mind, soul, body, and heart are beyond wounded from living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). This burden that I bear has taken a toll on me like nothing else. I ask myself,…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have altered levels of bacteria in their mouths, with reduced levels of normal healthy bacteria and higher levels of bacteria that can cause disease, a new study reports. “Your mouth may reveal more about your overall health than you think,” Ashutosh Mangalam, PhD, senior…

Signs of myelin damage are detectable about one year before damage to nerve fibers is apparent and about seven years before the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, a new study reveals. These findings shed new light on the timing of MS onset, and could open new avenues to…

A new grant from the Valhalla Foundation will help Octave Bioscience advance the development of a biomarker blood test for detecting disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The company is developing its MS Disease Progression test, or MSDP, to objectively measure MS progression based on…

The new revisions to the McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) —  a set of guidelines long used to diagnose the neurodegenerative condition — have increased the proportion of people who can be diagnosed with MS and also allow for earlier diagnoses. That’s according to a new analysis…

The 41st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), the world’s largest congress dedicated to multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care, kicks off today in Barcelona. About 9,000 scientists, clinicians, industry leaders, and patient advocates from more than 100 countries are expected…

Doctors will be able to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) faster and with greater accuracy — allowing patients to access treatment and support earlier — following an update to the McDonald criteria, the official guidelines used to diagnose the condition. The revision reflects advances in understanding the biology of…

Children and adolescents who go on to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) begin visiting the emergency department more often than their peers as early as a dozen years before their first MS symptoms appear, a new study from Canada suggests. In fact, over an 18-year period, children later diagnosed…

Paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs), which represent areas of damage in the brain and spinal cord with chronic active inflammation, are highly indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS) in people being evaluated for the disease, a new study reports. The findings support using this imaging biomarker as a useful tool for…