March 8, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD Memory, thinking skills in MS may be aided with Mediterranean diet Following a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cognitive problems, including with memory and thinking skills, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a preliminary study suggests. The diet includes a high intake of fish, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and healthy fats (olive oil); and a low intake of meat,…
January 19, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Multiple Sclerosis Memory Issues Force Me to Use New Methods Before multiple sclerosis (MS), I was pretty proud of my memory. For the most part, I still am, but like many others with this disease, I now have trouble recalling information. For me, it’s one of the most irritating, (sometimes even infuriating), cognitive issues associated with MS. I…
August 19, 2022 Columns by Ed Tobias Morse Code Keeps My MS Mind in Gear I speak Morse code. It’s my second language, and I’m fluent. I’ve been speaking Morse code since I got my ham radio license nearly 63 years ago. (My call letters are KR3E.) At first, I received what was sent at a very slow speed of five words per minute,…
July 29, 2021 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Brain Structures Tied to Worse Memory in Pediatric-onset MS People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) in childhood have more difficulty recognizing words and faces than healthy individuals, a small study found. The volume of certain structures of the limbic system ā a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion ā is smaller in those with MS,…
June 30, 2021 News by Somi Igbene, PhD Sleep Deprivation May Worsen Memory in Early MS Sleep deprivation may worsen memory in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a new observational study suggests. A link also was observed between a lack of sleep and worse cognitive efficiency in early MS, but that association was caused by the worse moods…
February 26, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2021 – Young Brain Fluid (CSF) Rejuvenates Memory in Mice Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25-27. GoĀ hereĀ to see all the latest stories from the conference. Factors in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the brain and spinal cord change with age and can affect…
December 15, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Study Seeks to Better Understand How MS Affects Memory A new research project will seek to better understand the biological processes that drive memory problems in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), as a better understanding of these processes may open new avenues for intervention. The four-year study is titled “Neuroimaging of Hippocampally Mediated Memory Dysfunction in…
August 6, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Donepezil Seen to Aid Cognition, Life Quality for MS Patients in Small Trial DonepezilĀ ā an approvedĀ treatment forĀ Alzheimer’s diseaseĀ ā eased cognitive impairment, depression, and improved other quality-of-life measures inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with mild to moderate disability, according to results of a single-site clinical trial. The study, “Effect of Donepezil on Cognitive Impairment, Quality of Life, and Depression…
April 15, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Gray Matter Lesions Affect Cognition in Japanese MS Patients as Well, Study Says People in Japan with lesions in the cerebral cortex due toĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) were found to have greater cognitive problems, or difficulties thinking, than those without lesions in this area of mostly gray matter that surrounds the brain, a study reports.Ā Lesions confined to the…
February 21, 2020 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc Spanish Modified Story Memory Technique Improves Cognitive Performance in Mexican Patients with MS, Study Says The Spanish version of the modified Story Memory Technique improves learning and life satisfaction of Mexican patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.Ā The tool, developed by the Kessler Foundation, has the potential to address the lack of cognitive rehabilitation interventions that are culturally…
February 11, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Cognitive Decline in MS May Not Be Inevitable or Progressive, 10-year Study Suggests Progressive cognitive decline in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be as inevitable as previously thought, a study suggests. The study, “A longitudinal study of cognitive function in multiple sclerosis: is decline inevitable?,” was published in theĀ Journal of Neurology. Statistics indicate that some kind…
January 23, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Memory Training Could Make Brains of MS Patients More Efficient, Study Suggests People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who complete training through a method called the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) show a decrease in brain activity after training, which could indicate more efficient brain processing, a recent study shows. The study, “Brain activation patterns associated with paragraph…
January 7, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Impaired Prospective Memory Affects MS Patients’ Ability to Perform Everyday Tasks, Study Finds Prospective memory ā the ability to remember to carry out a future task ā is significantly impaired in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and may contribute to worse cognitive performance for everyday tasks, according to recent research. The study āTime-Based Prospective Memory Is Associated with Functional Performance in Persons…
July 29, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD $1.83M NIH Grant Supports Trial into STEM, Learning and Memory Training for Adults with MS The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $1.83 million grant to aĀ Kessler Foundation researcher leading a clinical trial to test if a month-long cognitive training program can improve learning and memory in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of the Centers…
March 22, 2019 Columns by Jamie Hughes Remember, Remember When I first learned that I had multiple sclerosis in late January 2004, the thing I worried about most was losing my mind. No, Iām not referring to stressing out, going bananas, cracking up, going off the deep end, or coming unglued ā though all of those were distinct…
January 10, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Common Fungal Infection Can Breach the Brain and Impair Memory, Mouse Study Shows Blood infection with the yeastĀ Candida albicans,Ā a type of fungus, can reach the brain and trigger an immune response, a new mouse study shows.Ā Although the fungus can be cleared within 10 days, it affects the spatial memory of mice. These findings are the first evidence that a blood infection with a…
May 25, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD 2 Common Tests Used to Assess Deficits in MS Produce Different Results, Study Finds Learning impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) are detected differently by the two most commonly used neuropsychological tests, a new study by the Kessler Foundation shows. The research, titled āComparing the Open Trial ā Selective Reminding Test results with the California Learning Verbal Test II in multiple…
March 6, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson The Ride Doesn’t Stop: MS-related Emotions Revisited āWhat is wrong with you?” I have been asked this question numerous times by significant people in my life. The most recent was a few days ago. The question usually occurs during the times I have an emotional āmeltdown.ā Whenever I hear it, I get defensive, thinking that I…
November 27, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD French Study Links Silent Brain Lesions to Cognitive Decline in Early-stage RRMS So-called silent brain lesions in patients with early-stage relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) may, in fact, not be silent at all, according to a French study that linked such lesions to cognitive decline in early MS. This link has likely been missed since the major tool for measuring disability in MS…
November 9, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: MRI, Myelin, mAbs, and Other ‘M’ Words Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this first of two columns about terms starting with the letter M. Symptoms of MS Memory problems Memory loss is a common complaint for people with MS. Even for those with no physical or…
January 13, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD B-cells Differ in Pediatric- and Adult-onset MS, Study Shows The immune system B-cells responsible for producing antibodies are different in those who developĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) asĀ children,Ā than in those who developĀ it as adults, a study shows. The research, āB-cell populations discriminate between pediatric- and adult-onset multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journalĀ Neurology: Neuroimmunology & NeuroInflammation. Because only 3…
June 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD #CMSC16 – Sleep Quality in MS Patients Reported to Impact Memory, Perception, Functional Abilities Poor sleep quality may be associated with impaired memory and decreased functional abilities in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to the study “Impact of Sleep Quality on Cognitive and Physical Function in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis.”Ā The study was presented during the Whitaker Research Track Session II at the…
April 28, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Cognitive Difficulties Known to MS Traced to Problems in Nerve Cell Activity in Hippocampus In a study published in the International Neurology Journal, researchers showed that cognitive deficits, such as memory problems, in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS) are mirrored by changes in synaptic transmission and plasticity in the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory processing. The findings…
November 24, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Society Funds 3 New Investigations into Symptom Management TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis Society (MS Society)Ā in the U.K. recently announcedĀ awards targeted towardsĀ new MS research. In total, 16 projects carefully selected by both a panel of experts and patients living with MS will share MS Society 2015 funding grants amounting toĀ Ā£1,979,879. All projects fulfilled the requirements of high scientific…
March 31, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD New Clinical Study On Attention and Memory In People With MS A major trial to investigate different ways to deal with attention and memory problems in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients will take place atĀ Nottingham in the United Kingdom.Ā The Cognitive Rehabilitation for Attention and Memory in people with Multiple Sclerosis (CRAMMS)Ā study will focusĀ on these MS related symptoms…