research

Air pollution, particularly tiny inhalable particles around 10 micrometers in diameter, is a likely trigger for relapses in multiple sclerosis patients, a French study reports. The study, “Air pollution by particulate matter PM10 may trigger multiple sclerosis relapses,” was published in the journal Environmental Research. A growing number of epidemiological studies suggest…

Editor’s note: Patient columnist Laura Kolaczkowski attended the 31st annual Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers conference in New Orleans. We’re facing a major problem in the near future due to a shortage of researchers for multiple sclerosis, according to Jerry Wolinsky, MD, Bartels Family and Opal…

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $1 million grant to IQuity, a Nashville-based company looking into novel RNA targets that ultimately benefit patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune disorders. The NIH grant is part of the institute’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Eating a diet high in salt won’t worsen or speed up multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, concludes a study of MS patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). That contradicts earlier studies by researchers from Argentina, Vermont and elsewhere who warned of a possible link between high sodium consumption and MS. The…

A stressful microenvironment, characterized by low metabolites and low oxygen levels, triggers the generation of immune cells directly implicated in a variety of inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, “Cellular Stress in the Context of an Inflammatory Environment Supports TGF-β-Independent T Helper-17 Differentiation,” was…

Patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) have a higher burden of illness than patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, a new study showed. The study, “Characteristics, burden of illness, and physical functioning of patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: a cross-sectional US survey,” appeared  in…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. Ocrevus Phase 3 Trial Will Explore How Treatment Works by Viewing Changes in Spinal Fluid This new clinical study will try to…

Researchers at The Salk Institute have developed a way to grow vital brain cells called astrocytes from stem cells, a potential breakthrough for basic and clinical research into several diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The study “Differentiation of Inflammation-responsive Astrocytes from Glial Progenitors Generated from Human Induced Pluripotent…

A high daily dose of simvastatin improves multiple sclerosis patients’ cognitive function, according to a new analysis of Phase 2 clinical trial results. The British team that did the research will start a study soon on whether simvastatin, which goes by the brand name Zocor and other labels, can also slow…

Already an approved treatment for relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is still undergoing scrutiny in several clinical trials. Most focus on the drug’s effects in specific patient groups, but one study aims to advance understanding of how Ocrevus works to harness disease. To do so, the open-label Phase 3…

The MS Minority Research Engagement Partnership Network is calling for all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, ages 21 and older, to respond to a 15-minute online survey. Investigators are hoping to better understand how people with MS from different ethnic backgrounds and races view medical research, so as to engage them in…

How multiple sclerosis affects the “social brain,” which governs the ability to understand how others think and feel — a skill called social cognition — is linked to specific types of brain damage that occur in MS: both lesions and microscopic changes taking place in the brain’s white matter, a research team…

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) have developed a new experimental method to specifically target unwanted activation of the immune system without the toxicity of current immunoregulatory drugs. According to the study “Manipulating DNA damage-response signaling for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases,” published in the journal …

The recent annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) brought researchers and healthcare professionals to New Orleans to discuss advances — and obstacles to advances — in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Clinical trials, preclinical studies, basic research, and health interventions were among the May meeting’s focus. Multiple Sclerosis News…

A common acne medicine called minocycline can reduce the rate of multiple sclerosis progression in patients who are at early stages of the disease, according to a Phase 3 clinical trial. The finding was from the MinoCIS trial (NCT00666887) of minocycline, which goes by the brand name Mynocan and other…

Young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who engage in physical activity can relieve symptoms of depression, concludes a Canadian study supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Researchers presented their study, “Longitudinal Relationships Between Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity, Fatigue, and Depression in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis,” at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the…

Multiple sclerosis patients who benefited from Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in two Phase 3 clinical trials continued to benefit when they extended their treatment, researchers reported. In fact, their annual relapse rates have fallen even further during the extension study than during the trials. The study, “Preliminary Results of the OPERA I and…

Multiple sclerosis patients who start Rituxan (rituximab) treatment are three times more likely to have unchanged or improved brain-scan readings than worse ones, according to a study. Holy Name Medical Center researchers presented the findings at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting in New Orleans, May 24-27. The presentation…

Patients must help develop new outcome measures of multiple sclerosis (MS), since they and healthcare providers may have differing perceptions of how crucial various measures are, a new study argues. Researchers from the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta shared this insight today at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2017 Annual…

The past year has taken its toll on my digestive system. I’ve experienced alarming amounts of pain, bloating, diarrhea, and more fatigue than I normally experience from MS. All of these issues caused great stress both emotionally and physically, so it was no surprise when my…

Researchers from the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) have developed a method to produce brain immune cells, called microglia, from human stem cells. That can help scientists uncover biological mechanisms involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions. “NYSCF’s mission is to bring cures to patients faster,” Susan L.

A smartphone app has been designed to collect lots of information related to your multiple sclerosis – things such as physical and cognitive test results, MRI images, and even genetic data. The hope is that via the app researchers will be able to collect a lot of patient data…

MS brain inflammation is a result of interactions between processes in the brain and the rest of the body, with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) being a key player, according to a detailed analysis of cytokines in the spinal fluid and serum of MS patients. Russia’s Kazan Federal University found that IFN-gamma activates other…

African- and Hispanic-Americans are less likely than whites to receive care for neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis in a doctor’s office or clinic, according to a study. Many of them end up in a hospital emergency room after failing to obtain treatment that could have helped them avoid an…

A real-world medical-facilities setting has confirmed clinical trial findings that Gilenya (fingolimod) can reduce multiple sclerosis relapses, according to a Spanish study published in Plos One. Gilenya, developed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, was the first oral disease-modifying therapy to obtain U.S. and European approval. The Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency authorized…

A clinical trial of a smartphone app that helps multiple sclerosis (MS) understand and manage their disease — and to aid and speed research — is now recruiting people nationwide. Claimed to be the first of its kind, the app, called myMS, is designed to give MS patients quick and easy access to pertinent information, from clinical evaluations…

The online BrainHQ adaptive training program developed by Posit Science is better than any computer game at helping multiple sclerosis (MS) patients improve their cognitive skills, according to a study by researchers at New York University (NYU). The study, “Cognitive function in multiple sclerosis improves with telerehabilitation: Results from…

PODS (POlyhedrin Delivery System), a new technology designed to transport any protein in the human body, may open up new approaches in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases, says its British developer, Cell Guidance Systems. Created by Hajime Mori, a professor at Japan’s Kyoto Institute of Technology, PODS is…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. MSAA’s Dr. Jack Burks Responds to Readers’ Questions About Ocrevus and Its Use All over the internet MS patients are asking questions about…

The expression by immune B-cells of a protein called T-bet is crucial to promoting production of autoantibodies that recognize and destroy the tissues of one’s own body, finds a new study by researchers at National Jewish Health in Denver. The study, “B cells expressing the transcription factor T-bet drive lupus-like autoimmunity,”…