research

An investigational cannabidiol-derived compound called EHP-101 may help to boost remyelination, prevent nerve cell damage and lower the reactivity of microglia cells — immune cells of the brain and spinal cord — a  study in mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS) reports. EHP-101, being developed by Emerald Health…

Grey matter atrophy — its loss —  follows a sequential pattern that expands to involve more regions of the brain over time in all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, regardless of their disease type, a new study reports. Atrophy progression is also similar between relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)…

Statistics show that men are three times less likely than women to develop multiple sclerosis. Research has shown that men also develop MS at a later age than women and that their disease is more progressive. Could this all be related to “low T,” or low testosterone? Researchers…

Protecting the public against an outbreak like the swine flu using GlaxoSmithKline‘s vaccine Arepanrix — or a similar vaccine with an AS03 adjuvant delivery system — does not increase a risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a population study conducted in Canada reports. The study, “Registry Cohort Study to Determine Risk…

Greater exposure to sunlight during the winter months — part of a person’s lifetime exposure to ultraviolet radiation — can help to lower the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a large U.S. cohort study suggests. The study, “Lifetime exposure to ultraviolet radiation and the risk of multiple sclerosis in…

Long-term exposure to three common air pollutants — fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone — were not found to be “convincingly” linked to incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a large population study conducted in Canada. The study, “Long-term exposure to air pollution and the incidence of multiple sclerosis: A…

Treating mice in a model of multiple sclerosis (MS) with laquinimod before the onset of symptoms eased inflammation so as to help preserve their vision — lessening damage to the optic nerve and retina, a study from Germany reports. The study, “Laquinimod protects the optic nerve and…

A radioactive probe that might enable imaging tools to effectively monitor what a gene therapy is doing in the brain — important in treating diseases like multiple sclerosis with such a therapy — has been developed at Stanford University. The probe is a kind of radiotracer used successfully in this study…

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, “A timer for…

A first patient has been enrolled in a single-site trial to evaluate the potential of electrical stimulation, called  Electroceutical Therapy, in reducing brain injury, Endonovo Therapeutics, the therapy’s developer, announced. Electroceutical Therapy is a non-invasive and wearable electronic device that uses pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) to stimulate the central nervous system.

Researchers Discover How Key Genetic Risk Factor for MS Operates A genetic link to MS is something that some scientists have suspected for years. Now, there’s new research that targets a variation of a specific gene as possibly being that link. Scientists have uncovered the molecular mechanism…

Scientists have uncovered the molecular mechanism by which the genetic variant HLA-DRB1*15:01 is the strongest risk factor for multiple sclerosis, new research shows. Analyzing several studies, researchers found that the risk linked…

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used to assess inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients should include scans of the spinal cord and not be restricted to the brain, because brain scans alone risk underestimating disease progression, a study suggests. These results were shared in the presentation, “Measuring disease activity in…

Measuring the response of the pupil to light stimulating the eye is a non-invasive and easy way to assess multiple sclerosis (MS) severity and progression, researchers report. A clinical study found that poor, or dysfunctional, pupil response was associated with longer disease duration and greater disease severity in relapsing-remitting multiple…

Levels of neurofilament light chain are a reliable predictor of disease worsening and progression in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, a new study shows. Moreover, treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), marketed by Novartis, can reduce the levels of NfL for up to 10 years. These findings were shared recently in the presentation “…

Analysis of post-mortem brain samples from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and healthy individuals (without neurologic disease) showed that while signs of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are present in both groups of brains, EBV-positive immune cells were more prevalent and densely populated in the MS brain. The study reporting those findings,…

A new clinical trial will be the first in the world to recognize the importance of retaining hand function for wheelchair-bound patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS), according to a press release from Queen Mary University of London. The international trial, which will be conducted by a…

Researchers have unveiled a new cell death mechanism called pyroptosis — also known as “fiery death” — as a main factor driving neurodegeneration and loss of myelin in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). An inhibitor of pyroptosis, currently undergoing testing in human clinical trials for epilepsy, decreased central nervous system inflammation…

Young adults at age 20 who are obese and smoke are not only at a higher risk of developing relapsing multiple sclerosis — those who become MS patients after age 20 are also more likely to advance to secondary progressive MS more quickly, researchers in Sweden report. But the link…

Gilenya (fingolimod) and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) are equally effective as first-line treatments in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but Gilenya may be of slightly more benefit to those who switch from a previous injectable therapy, according to a real-world study of patients in Italy. The study, “…

For ambulatory multiple sclerosis patients with mobility problems, perceptions of being at risk of falling are as important as the risk due to their physical condition — and both should be tested when evaluating fall risk in this patient population, a study reports. The study, “The relationship between physiological…

A new way of interpreting inflammatory signals using the vagus nerve — which carries such signals from throughout the body to the brain — has been found, a study reports. This finding raises the possibility of having a kind of “early warning system” for inflammation, a damaging process in such…

  I’ve just dived into the misty world of the allergy medication clemastine. My, there’s a lot already written about it on this site. I was prompted by an article I’d saved on Facebook last year. In an idle moment — which have been pretty scarce lately…

Atrophy (shrinkage) of brain lesions correlates with physical disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research reports. The study, “Atrophied Brain Lesion Volume: A New Imaging Biomarker in Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in the Journal of Neuroimaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are used routinely on MS patients…

Several studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of cannabis and its derivate products to manage the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. But there is still much to be done to enhance their use and accessibility to patients who may benefit from these therapies, according to…

Inhibiting an oxidative stress enzyme called myeloperoxidase protects the blood-brain barrier in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), limiting the migration of immune cells and halting their attack on nerve cells, researchers have found. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier is a hallmark of various disorders, including MS, and when…

While the treatment and care of children and teenagers with multiple sclerosis (MS) has seen many developments in recent years, there are still many challenges to overcome, according to a presentation given by Brenda Banwell, MD. Banwell, who is the chief of child neurology at the Children’s Hospital…

Oryzon Genomics will give updates on its leading investigational product ORY-2001, a brain-targeting epigenetic therapy now in a Phase 2 clinical trial recruiting multiple sclerosis patients, at a series of scientific conferences. According to a press release, these include two conferences in the United States, the 2018 BIO…

Chemical that Stimulates Estrogen Receptors Seen to Promote Myelin Repair Through ‘Good’ Inflammation in Mouse MS Model Caution: This is only a mouse study. However, anything that might repair the damaged myelin of people with MS catches my eye. In this case, researchers are building on earlier…

A survey of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients that looked at their sense of social identity based on their family relations — meant to help explain mood disorders like depression and anxiety seen in this population — found a clear link between the strength of family bonds and mood, a U.K. study…