January 19, 2022 Columns by Beth Ullah Recovering the Parts That MS Stole From Me āWho in the world am I? Ah, that is the great puzzle.ā ā “Aliceās Adventures in Wonderland,” by Lewis Carrol Jan. 9 was my 31st birthday. I remember looking outside, watching the low January sun glisten on the frosty ground as its orange haze thawed the earth. I liken this…
January 10, 2022 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Lemtrada, Music and White Matter, Diagnosing MS AB Science OKād to Start Masitinib Phase 3 Trial for Progressive MS Many of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been waiting for another treatment for progressive forms of MS. I hope this brings us another step closer to one. Masitinib is an oral medication that works by blocking…
January 4, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Being a Lifelong Musician May Protect Brain From Damage of Aging Being a lifelong musician can help protect certain tracts of the brain’s white matter from damage during aging, potentially warding off conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or dementia for years. That’s according to the study “Effects of Lifelong Musicianship on White Matter Integrity…
December 17, 2021 Columns by Jamie Hughes Feeling Overwhelmed? Wander Under the Stars If you read my last column, you know that my Thanksgiving was eventful, to say the least. Well, it looks like Christmas is shaping up to be another banger. My father-in-law is back in the hospital, still trying to kick the infections that have knocked him flat recently. We…
November 19, 2021 Columns by Jamie Hughes ‘Once More, With Feeling’: How Singing Can Benefit MS Patients A few weekends ago, I had what Iāve described as a mini midlife crisis. Things with the kids were a mess, my husband was out of town again (to help with a building project on the family farm), and surrounded by the mess and bother of everyday life, I couldnāt…
October 21, 2021 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Overcoming My Fear of Concerts With a Little Help From the Rolling Stones As the music started, the crowd stood and cheered. I followed suit. Well, almost. I stood with more intention than balance. And as I did, I veered toward the person seated in the next row. Hello, secondary progressive MS. Two years ago, I went to see Paul McCartney at Dodger…
May 7, 2021 Columns by Jamie Hughes When in Doubt, Make a Mixtape Spring is here, a time weād normally be out and about getting some sun and recharging our souls after a long winter. I certainly look forward to working in the yard, hiking, having outdoor picnics, and taking the occasional road trip. But this isnāt a typical year, is…
January 22, 2021 Columns by Jamie Hughes ‘Soon May the Wellerman Come’: Connecting Through Music As hard as it is to believe, weāre now nearly a year into this pandemic. Thankfully, two vaccines are currently working their way through the system and into peopleās arms in the U.S., and before 2021 is out, perhaps weāll get back to something resembling normalcy (whatever that is). One…
November 30, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Novartis, iHeartRadio Partner to Launch 1st Streaming Station for MS Community Novartis has partnered with iHeartRadio to launch the first free on-demand streaming radio station dedicated to the multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)Ā community. Named MS Vibes, the station is focused āon popular music, educational content and relatable topics to which listeners can connect, uplift and recharge,ā Leverne Marsh, vice president and…
May 14, 2020 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Multiple Sclerosis and Melodies: Healing Through Music Music is a spiritual experience. I love music in all of its forms. I grew up being serenaded by parents harmonizing everything from the Phi Gam fight song to Peter, Paul and Mary. After crucifying the clarinet, I played the piano until my late teens. I have fond memories of…
April 27, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD US Grants Patent to MedRhythmsā Proprietary Audio Engine Used in Walking Therapy Products The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent covering the intellectual rights to MedRhythmsā proprietary audio engine, a core component of the companyās rhythmic sound products designed to improve the walking ability of adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders. The…
January 20, 2020 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Clinical Trial of Rhythmic Sound in Walking Rehab for MS Planned, MedRhythms Says MedRhythmsĀ is planning to soon open a pilot clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of its MR-004, its investigational product that uses rhythmic sounds to improve walking abilities in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), the company announced. The randomized and controlled trial, fully support by a grant…
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:…
November 14, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Motor Imagery Set to Musical and Verbal Cues Helps Patients with Walking and Fatigue, Study Says Mentally rehearsing an ease of walking to rhythmic cues ā especially musical and verbal ā improves walking speed and distance, and lessens feelings of fatigue in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The study, āEffects and mechanisms of differently…
May 18, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Welcomes Mud-Lovers to 2018 MuckFest MS The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is inviting all mud-lovers to Saturday’s kickoff ofĀ MuckFest MSĀ in Boston, Massachusetts, which raises money and awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS). The event includes a 5K āmud runā with āoutrageous obstacles and a whole lot of mudā thatĀ definitely will make you sore āfrom…
May 15, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC2018 – Julie Roberts, Country Music Singer and MS Advocate, Performing at CMSC Meeting Julie Roberts, a country music singer and multiple sclerosis (MS) patient advocate, will perform at the upcomingĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)ās annual meeting,Ā the association announced Roberts, diagnosed with MS while making her second recording in 2005, will also attend CMSC sessions to learn more about…
March 15, 2018 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski Earworms and Multiple Sclerosis Sometimes they are called “sticky songs,” better known by their common name āearworms.ā Earworms are those musical phrases that get stuck in our head that we hear over and over. Itās much like those worms underground that burrow and twist and turn, constantly finding new territory to inhabit.
March 2, 2018 Columns by Jamie Hughes Up with the Volume, Down with the Noise Mahatma Gandhi once said, āThere is more to life than increasing its speed.ā Thatās not a lesson modern American culture has taken to heart, is it? Seems like weāre more inclined to take Daft Punkās advice and do everything āHarder, Better, Faster, Stronger.ā And thatās all well and…
July 25, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Like A Skyscraper: Tall, Strong and Monumental My columnĀ last week focused on the difficulties of managing the emotions that accompany MS. I sincerely thank you for your responses, stories and words of encouragement. Again, the one thing that was apparent is that most of us fight this battle. We are left to sit with…
May 15, 2017 Columns by Jamie Hughes Make Some Noise: The Importance of Concerts Pull up a chair, kiddos, and Iāll tell you a sad story. Because weāre both musicians, my husband and I love going to concerts together. Weāre on a budget, so we have to be choosy about who we see and where we sit. However, there is a short…
February 27, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Benefits of Music Therapy for MS Music therapy has long been known for its healing powers ā its useĀ dates back to WWI, where it was used to help with the physical and emotional healing of the wounded. Music can also be of help to those of us with multiple sclerosis. An article from the…
February 22, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman How to survive an MRI if you are claustrophobic Last updated April 26, 2023 A key test for identifying multiple sclerosis (MS) during diagnosis, or to confirm a relapse, is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI.) For those who’ve never had to undergo an MRI, the thought of having this test might be terrifying. Being encased in a magnetic…
February 3, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Listen to the Music of Multiple Sclerosis You may not have heard this song, but I bet its lyrics will strike a chord. I cannot feel my body. I cannot feel my face. My legs are pins and needles and my mind is a disgrace. I see in double…