September 30, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Iron Deficiency May Be Linked to Depression and Poorer Life Quality Low blood levels of ferritin ā the main form of iron stored in cells ā are significantly associated with more severe depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life in multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) patients, a small study from Poland reports. Data showed no link between the levels of other measures of…
January 2, 2020 News by Ana Pena PhD Top 10 Multiple Sclerosis Stories of 2019 Throughout 2019, Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought you daily coverage of the latest scientific findings, treatment developments, and clinical trialsĀ related toĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). We look forward to reporting more news to patients, family members, and caregivers dealing with MS during 2020. Here are the top 10 most-read articles of…
June 18, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Neurological Disease’s Progression Slows with Lowering of Iron Load in Brain, Study Finds Deferiprone, a compound that lowers iron levels in the bloodstream by binding to iron molecules, can slow progression of a severe neurodegenerative disorder calledĀ pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), a study reports. Because a toxic buildup of iron in the brain is also associated with multiple sclerosisĀ and other neurological…
April 5, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #AANAM – Mineral Intake Not Linked to MS Risk, Study Suggests The amount of zinc, iron, and other minerals a person has in his or her diet is not associated with the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The study, āTotal intake of different minerals and the risk of multiple sclerosis,”Ā was published…
February 25, 2019 News by Alberto Molano, PhD Study Indicates Possible Correlation Between Nutritional Status, MS Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients eat a more limited diet, with a lower average of 31 nutrients, including zinc, thiamin, and iron, when compared with healthy controls, a study shows. Blood tests also showed that MS patients had significantly lower iron levels, a different fatty acid composition in their red blood…
July 23, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Predicting MS Progression, MS Links to Other Diseases, Cladribine, Diet Discussions Brain Iron Levels Correlate with MS Progression, Disability Risk, Study Shows Currently, doctors measure shrinkage in the brain as a way to predict physical and cognitive decline in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). But it takes a long time to see this brain atrophy on a standard…
July 19, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Brain Iron Levels Correlate with MS Progression, Disability Risk, Study Shows Evaluating the local differences in iron accumulation in the deep gray matter of the brainĀ using a specialĀ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, may help identify multiple sclerosis (MS) patients at greater risk for disease progression and disability, a study reports. The study “Brain Iron by Using Quantitative MRI…
August 14, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye This Week: Study Volunteers Wanted, MS and the Flu, Iron and Pediatric MS, Botox University of California at San Francisco Recruiting MS Patients for Gut Bacteria Study Last year, a Harvard study reported significant differences between bacteria that MS patients have in their bellies and that found inĀ those who don’t have MS. If that bacteria is treated, those MS-related changes might…
August 11, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Children and Teens with Multiple Sclerosis Consume Less Iron, Study Reports Children with multiple sclerosis consume less iron, which may affect their immune and nervous systems, according to a study. Most MS cases occur between the ages of 20 and 40, but sometimes children under 18 develop it. Pediatric-onset MS, as it is called, is believed to account for 3 to 5 percent of cases that adults have now. Despite their low frequency, they are important because "the study of factors early in life which could affect their disease may provide important insight into the disease more generally," the researchers from the Network of Pediatric MS Centers wrote. One of the factors that could be important in the onset of MS is diet. But little has been known about how diet influences the risk and progression of the disease, particularly in pediatric MS. In a study funded by the National MS Society, researchers decided to investigate the association between diet and MS in children, according to a press release. The team recruited 312 MS patients 18 and younger from 16 children's hospitals in the United States, and 456 controls without MS. The participants, or their parents, answered a questionnaire dealing with the participants' medical history, their physical development, and whether they were exposed to potentially harmful environmental factors. The questionnaire also covered demographic information and race. Researchers used the Block Kids Food Screener questionnaire to obtain information about the participants' diets, including their intake of fiber, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and iron. The analysis showed no meaningful link between the consumption of fiber, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products and children's development of MS. Children with the disease did have lower iron intake than the controls, however. Although in this exploratory study researchers didnāt look at whether there was a cause-and-effect relationship between iron and MS, the results suggested that children with the disease may be less likely to consume iron, a fact that warrants further investigation. Iron is a vital mineral for our body to function properly, and low iron intake may affect the immune and nervous systems. Future studies on the risk of children developing MS should "investigate the role of specific vitamins and minerals," the team said. They should also "investigate the influence of dietary factors on disease outcomes in already established" cases of MS.
December 15, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Brain Atrophy inĀ Secondary Progressive MS Linked in Study to High Levels ofĀ Free Hemoglobin inĀ Blood Hemoglobin leaking from injured red blood cells may be associated with brain atrophyĀ in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), according to researchers at the Imperial College London, U.K. The study, āFree Serum Haemoglobin Is Associated With Brain Atrophy In Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Wellcome…