disease progression

Changes in the upper part of the spinal cord may help identify people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who are at higher risk of converting to the secondary progressive form of the disease (SPMS), a study reports. People with RRMS who later developed SPMS tended to have a…

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) at age 50 or later are more likely to accumulate disability through mechanisms that are not directly linked to relapses or MRI activity than those with earlier-onset disease, according to an Italian registry study. “This suggests that the adverse prognostic effect of [late-onset…

Scientists have identified six proteins that could serve as targets for new treatments designed to slow multiple sclerosis (MS) progression. The data showed that one protein, RRM2B, may interact with the approved MS treatment Mavenclad (cladribine), while the other proteins interacted with molecules that are not currently used…

An autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) helped over 80% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) remain free from disease activity for at least two years, a real-world study in Germany found. The strongest benefits were seen in people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), with better outcomes observed in…

Two new research projects are looking at whether the hormonal and biological changes that happen around menopause play a role in how multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses in women, which could help doctors better predict the course of the disease and time treatments more effectively. “By better understanding the biological…

The approved injection therapy Kesimpta (ofatumumab) is generally safe and helps most adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) keep their disease stable over time with few or no relapses, a real-world study has found. The data show treatment is especially effective when started at a younger…

In stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), higher physical disability scores and brain volume loss on MRI are stronger indicators of cognitive impairment than common blood biomarkers. A new study found that while blood tests often fail to reflect mental decline, MRI scans and standard disability tests can successfully identify…

Menstrual fluid collected from tampons could one day provide a simple, noninvasive way to measure a biomarker of nerve damage and potentially track disease activity in neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at Nextgen Jane, in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers…

Between my tours with the Army, a new course was added to the curriculum for me to teach — a two-week basic combat skills course for support personnel. The logic was that if a mechanic or cook attached to a special forces team overseas ever had to do something outside…

Having a second autoimmune disease does not accelerate disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a large single-center study. Among 1,230 MS patients followed over time, those living with an additional autoimmune condition that doesn’t affect the nervous system reached disability milestones at the same rate…

Variations in the activity of a protein called p21 may underlie the differences in the activity of myelin-repairing cells in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. The findings may help to explain why different people with MS develop different forms of…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experience their first symptoms after age 50 tend to have faster disability progression than those with earlier disease onset, according to a recent study. The also more commonly develop primary progressive MS (PPMS). In addition, late-onset MS was associated with a higher risk of…

A genetic variant strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease may also worsen neurological damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. Researchers found that MS patients carrying the APOE4 variant showed greater signs of neurodegeneration than those without it, including higher levels of nerve damage biomarkers,…

Subtle drops in activity levels detected by wrist-worn sensors — especially in the morning — may predict worsening disability and brain tissue loss in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The data suggest that continuous monitoring with these devices could reveal early signs of disease progression…

In real-world clinical practice, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) showed sustained effectiveness in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), with most patients remaining free from long-term worsening of disability over four years, according to a new study. Relapse rates and MRI disease activity were also low during follow-up. At…

The complement system — part of the immune system that helps defend against infections — may play a key role in age-related disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to findings from a mouse study. In fact, blocking a complement protein called C3 reduced disease severity in older mice…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may follow two distinct biological paths that differ in how early and how quickly nerve damage develops, according to a new study. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze brain MRI scans together with a blood test linked to nerve damage, researchers identified one MS pattern marked…

Disability progression in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) tends to follow one of four distinct patterns, according to long-term data from more than 5,000 people with relapsing-onset MS followed in an Italian registry. The study specifically found that disability progression could generally be categorized into four patterns: minimal-worsening,…

Fear of a sudden relapse or a gradual worsening of MS symptoms is common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a systematic review analyzing data from more than 3,000 people with MS. Those fears are not only widespread but also closely tied to poorer mental health, greater fatigue,…

In people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), treatment with the antioxidant lipoic acid did not improve walking or lessen other symptoms, such as fatigue, but it did show signs of slowing brain atrophy, or the loss of brain tissue. According to the researchers, this suggests possible positive biological…

An enzyme called CEMIP could be a target for small-molecule inhibitors that aim to promote myelin repair in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions marked by myelin loss, a study found. Researchers discovered that CEMIP, which is elevated in areas of inflammatory nerve damage in people with…

Specific disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) significantly slow the rate of brain volume loss in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), a benefit that is directly linked to reduced long-term disability, according to a new review. A network meta-analysis of more than 26,000 patients confirms that therapies most effective at preserving…

Disability progression is not always permanent for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), even when it occurs independent of a relapse, a new study has found. Researchers report that nearly one-third of RRMS patients who experience progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) see their disability levels ease in the…

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…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have high levels of antibodies targeting the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but levels of these antibodies are not associated with disease activity or clinical worsening among MS patients. That’s according to the study, “Evaluating the role of anti-EBV antibodies…

Having a higher body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on a person’s height and weight, at diagnosis is tied to faster disability progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study in Sweden. This effect was particularly pronounced when excess weight…

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…

Abnormal brain cells, known as disease-associated radial glia or DARGs, may play a key role in driving chronic inflammation in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. Based on the finding, researchers are now working to better understand the biology of DARGs, with an…

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…

Disability progression does not seem to worsen in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) after they undergo menopause, according to the largest study of its kind. Instead, other factors such as older age at MS onset, longer disease duration, and worse initial disability scores were associated with an increased risk…