diagnosis

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…

Octave Bioscience has raised $35.6 million in funding to continue marketing its multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity test and accelerate the development of a similar tool for Parkinson’s disease. The Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity (MSDA) test — the first blood test of its kind…

A new model using artificial intelligence (AI) suggests that multiple sclerosis (MS) progression is better viewed along a single disease spectrum, rather than as distinct disease types — such as those now used in MS diagnosis and treatment — according to a study led by scientists in Europe. The…

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) begin using healthcare services more frequently up to 15 years before their first MS symptoms appear, a study from the University of British Columbia (UBC) suggests. The findings add to evidence that early signs of MS may go unnoticed for many years.

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) — a protein that gets released when nerve cells are damaged — is found at high levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting its potential as a biomarker of the disease, a study has found. CSF is…

A type of imaging finding called iron rim lesions are associated with more severe disability and a greater extent of brain damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new analysis suggests. This specific imaging finding may help guide discussions about individualized treatments for MS, the study’s researchers said.

Experts are calling for tailored strategies to enhance the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of older people with multiple sclerosis (MS). As people with MS live longer, age-related biological changes increasingly complicate diagnosing and managing the disease in older adults. No universal framework currently guides how to address these unique…

Researchers have developed a blood test to identify people at risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) years before the first symptoms appear. The test, described in a recent study, looks for antibodies against a protein of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a leading risk factor for MS.

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) visited doctors, were admitted to the hospital, and used emergency care more often than other people more than two decades before their diagnosis, a large study finds. The use of these services peaked in the year before a diagnosis, but visits to a primary…

Blood levels of a protein called GFAP, which reflects the activation and damage to support cells in the brain and spinal cord, may help predict disease severity and the response to treatment with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis of clinical trial data. “This…

A new imaging technology may help detect early signs of brain damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) that aren’t visible on conventional MRI scans, a recent study shows. The technology detects specific metabolic alterations in the brain by tracking certain metabolites and neurotransmitters — molecules that nerve…

The first person with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been successfully imaged in a clinical trial evaluating a new positron emission tomography (PET) tracer designed to detect changes in myelin loss, or demyelination. The Phase 1 study (NCT04699747), a joint effort between Quantum Biopharma and Massachusetts…

While subtle symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — like muscle weakness, fatigue, and numbness or unusual sensations — are often overlooked in individuals with minimal disability, more detailed clinical tools can help detect these early signs, according to a new study from Italy. Moreover, such tools — including wearable…

A particular finding on an MRI scan, called the central vein sign (CVS), is sufficient to support a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis without the need for an invasive lumbar puncture, a new U.K. study suggests. The presence of six lesions with a CVS, where a vein is found…

Certain lesions in the spinal cords of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) show damage to nerve fibers despite having normal myelin, according to a study done on postmortem samples using powerful MRI scans paired with detailed tissue analyses. The identification of these lesions “provides a novel opportunity to detect…

Last week, something unexpected happened during one of my shared medical visits with patients. I wasn’t expecting shame to show up. We were deep in conversation about how a diagnosis can unravel a person’s identity and how grief often follows when our sense of self begins to slip away.

Octave Bioscience’s Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity (MSDA) test, which uses data from blood biomarkers to assess multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity, is now available across all 50 U.S. states to help guide clinicians’ decisions about care. Octave said the test received certification from the New York State Clinical…

New diagnostic criteria and biomarkers, how to manage MS in older patients and children, and vaccine recommendations are among topics covered in a new set of guidelines for best practices in multiple sclerosis (MS) care. The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, a network of more than 15,000 clinicians…

Assessing multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity using Octave Bioscience’s MS Disease Activity (MSDA) blood biomarker test can help guide clinicians’ decisions about care, a study showed. “Our goal is to empower both providers and patients with precision tools that transform MS care,” Doug Biehn, CEO of Octave, said…

Aranzazu Calzado, known to friends as Zazu, has lived in Houston, Texas, since 1996 after moving from Spain. She was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in 2021 and faces the challenge with resilience, relying on God, family, and friends as her support network. She finds joy in helping…

I remember the day of my relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis diagnosis, when I didn’t understand the weight of what I’d been told. I was only 17 years old and didn’t know what questions to ask, what the future held, or what I should’ve felt after hearing those words. Aside from feeling…

People of Asian descent tend to be younger than white people when they first exhibit symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a U.S. study reports. Asians also tended to be younger at the time of their diagnosis. No differences were found in demographics or disease characteristics between Asian patients…

From left, Adela Puente and her niece, Desiree Lama, spend time together in downtown San Antonio. (Photos courtesy of Desiree Lama) Day 31 of 31 This is Adela Puente’s story: Lama and Puente share a hug at Desiree’s college graduation. Being the youngest of six, I always wished…

Dimika V. Cavalier is shown in a photo she uses for advocacy work. (Photos courtesy of Dimika V. Cavalier) Day 26 of 31 This is Dimika V. Cavalier’s story: My journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) began in my early 30s. I was having episodes of vertigo that would…

Evidence of neurological damage over time — known as dissemination in time, or DIT — may not be necessary to reach a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) for all patients, according to a report by U.K. researchers. Traditionally, an MS diagnosis would typically require both DIT and DIS,…

Artificial intelligence (AI) platforms did better than most neurologists at answering a 20-question assessment about multiple sclerosis (MS) in a recent study, suggesting that AI may be a helpful tool for MS care. Neurologists with an MS specialty scored as well, on average, as the AI platforms, while neurology…

Ronald Harris shows off his new power wheelchair. (Photos courtesy of Ronald Harris) Day 17 of 31 This is Ronald Harris’ story: Harris is seen working from home, using a desk that accommodates his power chair. My journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) began with an unexpected diagnosis…

Yara Essam takes a selfie in a mirror during one of her many gym sessions. (Photos courtesy of Yara Essam) Day 14 of 31 This is Yara Essam’s story: I’d always been fairly healthy as a child — barely getting sick, eating well, and constantly moving my body. That’s…

Izzy Abbas loves to go camping, but he also enjoys traveling internationally, Here, he is shown visiting Turkey. (Photos courtesy of Izzy Abbas) Day 11 of 31 This is Izzy Abbas’ story: Camping — being out in the woods and mountains — is something I’ve always loved. Despite all…

Sarah Zichterman poses for a photo one year after her MS diagnosis. (Photos courtesy of Sarah Zichterman) Day 10 of 31 This is Sarah Zichterman’s story: Getting diagnosed with MS was not something I thought would happen to me at age 24. One day in January 2024, I woke…