February 8, 2024 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Non-invasive MEG scan can predict cognitive therapy outcomes in MS A non-invasive scan that measures network activity across the brain was able to predict the outcomes of behavioral therapies designed to improve cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study demonstrates. Brain network function, as assessed by the test, called magnetoencephalography (MEG), “could play an important role…
January 21, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Imaging Brain Metabolites May Help Diagnose, Monitor MS A new imaging technique called magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, or MRSI, could be useful for diagnosing and monitoring multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a small study. “If confirmed in longitudinal clinical studies, this new neuroimaging technique could become a standard imaging tool for initial diagnosis, for disease progression and…
September 17, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Rim Lesions, Suggesting Chronic Inflammation, May Be Common An imaging feature called a rim lesion is found in about 4 out of every 10 people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. These rims, thought to represent areas of chronic brain inflammation in which myelin is being progressively damaged, may serve as alternate biomarkers of…
July 27, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Gray Matter in Hippocampus Can Help Distinguish Between Two MS Types Subtle changes in structure in the hippocampus ā a region of the brain involved in processing memories ā can differentiate between relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, according to a new study. The study, “Unraveling the MRI-Based Microstructural Signatures Behind Primary Progressive and RelapsingāRemitting Multiple Sclerosis Phenotypes,”…
August 12, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Inflammation Drives Nerve Damage in Early MS, Imaging Study Shows Inflammation drives the loss of brain volume and thinning of the eye’s retina in the first five years of aĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, an imaging study demonstrates.Ā The findings support a therapeutic strategy of halting inflammatory activity during this initial period.Ā …
July 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Imaging Startup Among 8 Minority-owned Firms Earning Investment JuneBrain, a startup company that is developing a wearable head imaging device that enablesĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to remotely monitor their disease activity and treatment response, has received a $50,000 investment through TEDCOās Builder Fund, the investor announced. MS is caused by inflammation in the…
March 4, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Natural Molecule NAC May Help Improve MS Brain Function, Study Reports Treatment for two months with N-acetylcysteine, or NAC ā a natural molecule that enhances the levels of antioxidants ā significantly improved metabolic activity in certain brain regions among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small clinical study reports. This increase in metabolic activity was accompanied by improvements…
February 6, 2020 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Could Myeliviz, a New Imaging Agent of Myelin, Be a Game-changer? Myelin is the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers and is damaged in those with multiple sclerosis. Quantifying the degenerative process of myelin would lend perspective to how much and where a patient is progressing. Currently, MRIs are used for diagnostic purposes, but the nuances of progression remain difficult…
January 29, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD New Imaging Agent of Myelin for Earlier MS Diagnosis, Myeliviz, Entering Clinical Testing TheĀ U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationĀ (FDA)Ā has agreed to allow Myeliviz, an imaging agent of myelin ā the protective layer that covers nerve fibers and isĀ damaged inĀ multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) ā to be evaluated in a clinical trial with healthy volunteers. Myeliviz, created byĀ Case Western Reserve UniversityĀ researchers, has the potential…
December 17, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Einstein Researchers Receive Grant to Study Brain Activity Related to Fall Risk in MS Patients A grantĀ awarded recently by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund research to explore how brain changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients affect mobility. The five-year grant (1R01NS109023-01A1), totaling $3.5 million, was awarded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of…
September 26, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MRI Marker May Be Better at Predicting MS Disease Progression, Study Finds The volume of atrophied (shrunken) regions in the brain, as visible through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, can predict disease progression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research reveals. The finding was published in the journalĀ Radiology in an article titled, “Atrophied Brain T2 Lesion Volume…
August 19, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Imaging That Captures Damage to Brain in CIS Helps in Determining Likelihood of MS, Study Says Imaging techniques that measure damage to the brain, in addition to those that detect lesions, may be useful in predicting likely disease progression in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a study found. The study, “Early imaging predictors of longer term multiple sclerosis risk and severity…
June 21, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Bracco Diagnostics Notes Doctors’ Support in Developing Varibar for Assessing Dysphagia As part ofĀ National Dysphagia Awareness MonthĀ this June, Bracco DiagnosticsĀ is acknowledging speech language pathologistsĀ for their support in developing VaribarĀ (barium sulfate) products ā imaging agents used to assess swallowing disorders, a problem common among multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā patients. One in 25 adultsĀ is estimated to experience dysphagia, or…
June 14, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD New AI Method Detects Brain Changes in Response to Treatment in RRMS Patients A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based model is better than conventional methods for detecting brain changes in response to treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study reports. The study, “High-dimensional detection of imaging response to treatment in multiple sclerosis,” was published in…
March 14, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein Non-contrast MRI Effective in Monitoring Progression of MS, Study Shows The evaluation of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be performed without the use of a contrast agent, new research has shown. These findings suggest that routine use of contrast-enhanced MRI is unnecessary for most follow-ups with MS patients, reducing both imaging…
March 1, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 – RRMS Conversion to SPMS Is Preceded by Spinal Cord Atrophy The rate of spinal cord tissue loss is a strong indicator of conversion fromĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), according to a finding presented at theĀ fourth annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2019. The forum…
February 21, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD In Creating ‘Immune Cell Atlas of Brain,’ Scientists Find Microglia Highly Complex in Behavior and Role In mapping the immune system of the brain in mice and humans, scientists in Germany found that microgliaĀ ā a type of nerve cell located in the central nervous system and responsible for supporting and protecting neuronsĀ ā share the same core design, but behave differently depending on the specific function each…
June 28, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Probe That Acts as PET Scan Tracer May Give Glimpse into Gene Therapy’s Effects on Brain A radioactive probe that might enable imaging tools to effectively monitor what a gene therapy is doing in the brain ā important in treating diseases like multiple sclerosis with such a therapy ā has been developed at Stanford University. TheĀ probe is a kind of radiotracer used successfully in this study…
June 27, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD New Fluorescent Imaging Tool Allows Researchers to Track Immune Cell Dynamics in MS Mouse Model A new fluorescent imaging strategy allows researchers to track T-cells and further understand their dynamics in vivo, giving them insight into what happens when these immune cells attack myelin in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The new technology was reported in the study, āA timer for…
April 10, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Professor Earns Research Award for Establishing Use of MRI to Improve MS Diagnosis, Understanding Professor Frederik Barkhof, MD, PhD, has won the 2018 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research for pioneering the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and understanding of the disease. The prize, decided by a peer committee, is awarded annually by…
January 16, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Myelin Loss Can Be Assessed With Innovative Imaging Approach, Study Suggests A novel imaging approach enables assessment of key nervous system deterioration in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study in mice suggests. The research, āDevelopment of a PET radioligand for potassium channels to image CNS demyelination,ā was published in the journal Scientific Reports. MS is characterized by damage to myelin (a process called demyelination), which is an insulating sheath around axons (the long projections of neurons) that enables effective neuronal communication. As a result, patients experience a variety of symptoms, including muscle stiffness and weakness, fatigue and pain. Although existing MS medications suppress immune responses and reduce flare-ups, none can cure the disease. Despite the importance of demyelination in MS, scientists and clinicians do not currently have a way to directly image myelin damage. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used, but it does not enable the distinction between demyelination and inflammation, which are common in patients with MS. Upon myelin damage, voltage-gated potassium channels (cellular membrane proteins) become exposed. As a result, cells leak potassium, which impairs proper neuronal communication. This prompted researchers to develop a tracer that targets potassium channels. "In healthy myelinated neurons, potassium channels are usually buried underneath the myelin sheath," Brian Popko, PhD, the studyās senior author, said in a press release. Popko is a professor of neurological disorders and director of the Center for Peripheral Neuropathy at The University of Chicago. Exposed potassium channels can be targeted by the MS medication 4-aminopyridine (4-AP; dalfampridine), which partially repairs nerve conduction and mitigates MS symptoms. Using mouse models of MS, the researchers demonstrated that 4-AP binding to potassium channels is greater in demyelinated axons in comparison withĀ well-myelinated axons. The greater binding of 4-AP led to its accumulation in damaged axons. Then, the team evaluated several fluorine-containingĀ derivatives of 4-AP, and found that the most effective in binding to potassium channels was 3-fluoro-4-aminopyridine (3F4AP), which can be labeled with radioactive 18F. This labeling enables detection of demyelinated regions with a novel strategy based in positron emission tomography (PET). "3F4AP is the first tracer whose signal increases with demyelination, potentially solving some of the problems of its predecessors," said Pedro Brugarolas, PhD, first author of the study. Existing PET tracers bind to myelin. This translates to decreases in signal in the presence of myelin loss, āwhich can be problematic for imaging small lesionsāĀ Brugarolas noted. Importantly, the findings in mice were confirmed in monkeys. Experiments showed that the radiolabeled 3F4AP enters the primate brain and accumulates in areas with less myelin. Collectively, āthese data indicate that [18F]3-F-4-AP may be a valuable PET tracer for detecting [central nervous system] demyelination noninvasively,ā the team wrote. "We think that this PET approach can provide complementary information to MRI which can help us follow MS lesions over time," Popko said. The novel PET strategy enables the evaluation of therapies to repair myelination and also could help assess how much myelin loss is involved in other neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, but also in diseases not commonly linked to demyelination, "such as brain ischemia, psychiatric disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's," Popko concluded.
January 3, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Global Expert Panel Proposes Updating McDonald Criteria to Diagnose MS An international panel of multiple sclerosis (MS) experts has proposed revising theĀ McDonald criteria guidelines to improve and expedite the diagnosis of this disease. Co-chaired by Dr. Jeffrey Cohen of the Cleveland ClinicĀ and Dr. Alan Thompson of the University College London, the 30-member panel reviewed newly available research…
May 19, 2017 News by Charles Moore Pilot Study of myMS App, Created to Aid Patients and Research, Starting in US A clinical trial of a smartphone app that helps multiple sclerosis (MS) understand and manageĀ their disease ā and to aid and speed research āĀ is nowĀ recruiting peopleĀ nationwide. Claimed to be the first of its kind, the app, called myMS, is designed to give MS patients quick and easyĀ access toĀ pertinentĀ information, fromĀ clinical evaluations…
November 30, 2016 News by Charles Moore Philips Unveils In-Progress Radiology Portal for Diagnosing, Treating Neurological Diseases Royal Philips recently announced the introduction of the IntelliSpace Portal 9.0, the latest edition of itsĀ advanced comprehensive visual analysis and quantification platform for neurological disorders. The platform was presentedĀ at the 2016 Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting (RSNA), taking placeĀ through Dec. 2 in Chicago. Currently a work in…
November 4, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD NIH Researcher Working on MS Imaging Wins 2016 Barancik Prize for Innovation Dr. Daniel Reich, a researcher with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ā has beenĀ recognized for his pioneering work on brain imagingĀ to advance both the treatment of people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā and scientific understanding of the disease. Reich, aĀ neurologist, neuro-radiologist and neuroscientist,Ā was awarded theĀ 2016 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS…
September 16, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Eye Imaging Tools May Help Predict 5- or 10-Year MS Disability Two presentations at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2016 Congress,Ā now underwayĀ in London, underscored the value of measures of neurodegeneration in the eye in predicting a patient’s futureĀ disability. Peter Calabresi with theĀ Johns Hopkins School of MedicineĀ opened the session with the presentation,Ā āTools for…
September 14, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Eye Imaging, Genetics Link Immune Complement Factors to MS Progression Genes that encode what are called “complement” immune factors are linked to the breakdown of the retina in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients ā a measure that, in turn, predicts brain damage and loss of eyesight. The study, a joint effort between researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,…
August 18, 2016 News by Ćzge Ćzkaya, PhD Advances in MS Research and Treatment Focus of ECTRIMS 2016, Opening in September The 37th annual congress of The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) will take place in London between 14 ā 17 September 2016.