March 25, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD ‘Talk’ Therapy Helps with Insomnia and Fatigue in MS, Trial Suggests Cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of “talk” therapy, may help ease the severity of insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), improving the quality of their sleep, data from a single-site trial suggest. The study āFeasibility and Treatment Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia…
March 24, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace Tips for Traveling the World from the Comfort of a Couch Following my previous column titled, “5 Free Activities You Can Do at Home During COVID-19 Hibernation,” I thought it would be fun to share some more free things you can do from home. The more I look into this topic, the more material…
March 20, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Janssen Seeks FDA Approval for Oral Ponesimod for Treating Relapsing MS Janssen has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for ponesimodĀ to be approved as an oral treatment for adults with relapsingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Ponesimod, formerly ACT-128800, is an experimental treatment that targets the proteinĀ sphingosine-1-phosphate…
March 19, 2020 News by Catarina Silva More Attention Should Be Given to MS Patients’ Sexual Dysfunction, Study Advises Sexual dysfunction is prevalent among women with multiple sclerosis (MS), and one way physicians can help improve their patients’ quality of life is to ask them about the problem. That finding is detailed in the studyĀ āSexual dysfunction in women with multiple sclerosis: prevalence and impact on…
January 10, 2020 News by Catarina Silva Vitalis Plans to Launch Phase 3 Trial Testing VTS-72 as Treatment for RRMS-related Flushing Vitalis will soon test VTS-72, a new formulation of fumarate and VTS-Aspirin, in a Phase 3 trial as a treatment for flushing ā facial redness, itching or rash ā in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS). Flushing is a common side effect of an oral MS therapy called…
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 21, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Painsomnia Unravels Me from Inside Out It is 2 a.m. and I am awake. I sit on the couch with my head in my hands. The leg pain that broke my slumber is now extreme. I have taken my medications, used my topical, and applied heat. All to no avail. Exhaustion meets pain as my eyes…
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 30, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Unemployment Risk Factors in MS Vary with Age, Study Suggests Physical symptoms and poorer coping mechanisms are major risk factors for unemployment in younger and older people with multiple sclerosis (MS), while psychological problems have the greatest impact in middle-aged patientsā unemployment, a study suggests. These findings highlight that unemployment risk factors vary with age and call for interventions…
October 3, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Bowel, Bladder Problems Linked to Higher Levels of Fatigue and Disability, Study Reports Bladder and bowel problems, such as constipation and fecal incontinence, are associated with a higher level of fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study in Australia. The findings also showed that greater fatigue and experiencing bowel and bladder problems are associated with…
October 2, 2019 Columns by Stephanie Towler Lifestyle Changes Have Improved My MS Symptoms I have been fighting multiple sclerosis (MS) for seven years now. I’ve changed a lot since getting diagnosed. I’ve become more aware of my body and the ways MS has changed my life. Nothing stopped me from graduating from college, but I’ve still faced many challenges…
September 18, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2019 ā Ponesimod Superior to Aubagio in Relapsing MS, OPTIMUM Trial Shows Actelion‘s ponesimod, an investigational oral treatment, is superior to Sanofi‘s Aubagio (teriflunomide) in lessening the frequency of relapses and easing fatigue symptoms in adults with active, relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), results of the OPTIMUM trial show. These data will lay the ground for submissions…
September 12, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell We All Have Bad Days Mama said there would be days like this. I just never thought there would be so many. After three days of insomnia, I am heavily fatigued and weary. I wait, bleary-eyed, for signs of pain to appear, watching the sunrise and praying for renewal. As if on cue, the birds…
September 11, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #ECTRIMS2019 – Remyelinating Therapy Liothyronine Well-tolerated by MS Patients, Phase 1b Trial Finds Treatment with a potential remyelinating agent called liothyronine was safe and well-tolerated by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a Phase 1b trial. Preliminary results also suggested benefits in cognition, motor function, and fatigue. The study, āA Phase 1b, open-label study to evaluate the safety…
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 28, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Fatigue Linked to 3 Different Patterns of Physical Activity, Study Finds The relationship between fatigue and patterns of physical activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is not straightforward. New findings show that, among MS patients with similar fatigue levels, there are three different types ā or “clusters” ā of physical behavior. Clinicians should be aware of these behavioral…
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…
August 13, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Shows Range of Psychological and Physical Problems in Opioid-addicted MS Patients Opioid addiction increases the risk for a number of physical and psychological problems in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found. The study, “Impact of opium dependency on clinical and neuropsychological indices of multiple sclerosis patients,” was published in the journalĀ Neurological Sciences. Opioids,…
August 9, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Music While Walking Makes MS Patients More Motivated and Less Mentally Drained, Study Suggests People listening to music during an extended walk tend to sync their steps to its beat ā and forĀ those with multiple sclerosis (MS), such synchronization helps to overcome mental fatigue and improve motivation, a study found. “Continuous 12 min walking to music, metronomes and in silence:…
August 1, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell We Are Strong ā We Have No Other Choice I recently saw a greeting card that read, āYou never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.ā No truer words. While I am grateful for my strength, there are moments when I would like another choice. Maybe it is a mind game. Perhaps I would…
July 23, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Antiviral and Nausea Treatments Ease Fatigue in MS, Small Study Reports An antiviral medication called amantadine and ondansetron, which treatsĀ chronic nausea, both work to reduce fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but amantadine may be more effective, a single-site trial in Iran reports. The study, “Comparison of the effects of amantadine and ondansetron in treatment…
June 26, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Vegetable-rich Diet, Other Interventions, May Help Lower Fatigue in Progressive MS, Pilot Study Finds One year of a vegetable-rich diet ā combined with exercise, neuromuscular stimulation, and stress reduction techniques ā is effective in easing fatigue in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers say the results may be linked to changes in blood fat levels, in particular cholesterol. This integrative…
June 5, 2019 Columns by Stephanie Towler I Am a Millennial with Multiple Sclerosis I remember the day like it was yesterday: Sept. 20, 2012. I was fortunate to receive a swift diagnosis ā following a couple of tests, my neurologist told me that I have multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time I thought, “Well, let the journey begin.” My name is Stephanie…
May 17, 2019 Columns by John Connor Sunday Morning It was a sunny Lower East Side of Manhattan Sunday morning. The bulbous New York Times was shoved, just about, under my arm. I drank a coffee in the sheltered backyard of a diner after surviving the denizens of the street to get here ā this was good shelter.
May 10, 2019 Columns by John Connor I Survived a Marathon Comedy Festival Exactly one year ago on this day of writing, I was down and out. This year, I’m not exactly fighting fit, but the same set of circumstances has pushed me the distance. But it didn’t floor me. OK, OK, I’ll stop with the pugilistic metaphors ā it’s not exactly…
May 9, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Perception Over Pain: Making a Mental Shift with SPMS I am a positive person with not-so-positive moments. These moments don’t quantify my essence. Nevertheless, they sure try. I work hard to keep the negativity at bay, but I don’t always succeed. As I write, I’m overcome with pain and fatigue. This is not the exception but the…
May 3, 2019 Columns by Jamie Hughes Don’t Be a Doozer ā Slow Down! My husband and I were driving home from church a few weeks ago, cars zipping around us every which way. He looked at me and said, āDo you ever feel like weāre on the edge of something? Like life is moving too quickly in urban America and something is about…
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…
March 11, 2019 Columns by Debi Wilson What to Consider When Supplementing B Vitamins for MS Symptom Relief Research findsĀ that a deficiency of B vitamins may play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. On the other hand, supplementation of the vitamins may help. There are eight essential B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. The large variety can be confusing when…
March 8, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Daily Cup of Flavonoid-rich Cocoa May Help Ease MS Fatigue A daily cup of flavonoid-rich cocoa may help ease fatigue in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to the results of a small clinical trial. The study āA randomised double-blind placebo-controlled feasibility trial of flavonoid-rich cocoa for fatigue in people with relapsing and remitting multiple sclerosisā was…