April 28, 2023 Columns by John Connor Reflections from the front line: Things are looking up, eventually Ceilings. Oh yeah, Iāve become quite the expert on ceilings. If you spend much of your life prostrate, itās hard not to. The very first column I wrote for Multiple Sclerosis News Today opened with this very topic. As it was an unsolicited spec piece, I was pleasantly…
August 2, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Vagus Nerve Stimulation Boosts Motor Learning in Mouse Model Providing electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve, a large nerve that plays important roles in modulating nonconscious bodily processes like digestion and heart rate, can improve motor learning in mice, a new study shows. The approach specifically helped the animals learn motor tasks faster and achieve better performance levels in…
July 22, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Way of Identifying Neurons Essential to Walking, Other Abilities Found Researchers developed a way of using machine learning to identify those cells most important for a given function or task, such as movement, and for evaluating how they respond to potentially restorative treatments. Using Augur, as this method is called, the team was able to identify the neural circuits in…
April 28, 2020 News by Mary Chapman Collaborative Program in Canada Offers Exercise and Social Sessions During Pandemic During the COVID-19Ā pandemic, a University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine initiative is offering a free virtual exercise and social connection program to individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions, according toĀ a press release. Called NeuroSask, the initiative is in collaboration with…
June 13, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Move It or Lose It: Movement Is Crucial to Well-being with MS A well-known mantra exists in the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. I first heard it after my diagnosis and have since adopted it as my own. “Move it or lose it.” Movement is essential for everyone’s health and well-being. For those of us with multiple sclerosis, it is imperative. Regular activity…
February 1, 2019 Columns by John Connor The Hospital Trilogy If MS was just about MS, it wouldn’t be easy,Ā but it would be a lot easier. It’s different for all of us. For me, MS means ambulation is practically impossible. I could manage a few yards, but the risk of falling and spending the day as an upside-down beetle…
May 25, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Limited Use of Large Muscles Affects Health of Nerve Cell-producing Stem Cells in Brain, Mouse Study Finds Lesser time spentĀ exercising and using large muscles can result in serious alterations in the metabolism of brain stem cells and their ability to generate new nerve cells, a study suggests. These findings can help to explain why patients with neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis andĀ spinal muscular atrophy,…
December 13, 2017 Columns by Mike Knight Arrested Development: A Moving Tribute to Physical Therapy I am on āhouse arrest.ā Sort of. Let me explain. Earlier this year, I wrote Large and In Charge: Building a Better MS Care Team, a column about my frustration with my āMS…
August 22, 2016 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD Feldenkrais: Awareness of Movement for Those with MS In a fair world, reading books would burn the most calories, eating ice cream would be chock-full of antioxidants and vitamins, and no one would have multiple sclerosis. But, like many other people, I have MS and have to live with fatigue, cognitive issues, trouble walking, and so much more…