research

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be caused by genetic factors, but environmental cues are increasingly recognized to have an impact on disease onset and development. One environmental factor suggested to play a role in MS is infectious agents, such as viruses. Now, different teams of scientists have explored the…

Sex hormones, and genes in the two sex chromosomes, impact the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in men and women differently, and lead to differences in the course of the disease between the sexes, according to two studies. Two speakers at the ACTRIMS 2017 Forum highlighted the role of sex…

New evidence strengthens the link between a diet high in salt and multiple sclerosis (MS) development, researchers show. The study, “Sodium Chloride Intake and MS,” was presented on Feb. 24 at the ACTRIMS) 2017 Forum being held in Orlando, Florida, by Dr. David Hafler with the Yale School of Medicine. The…

Short-chain dietary fatty acids, such as propionate, drive the production of regulatory immune T-cells in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), while long-chain acids promote T-cells that are involved in inflammatory processes. Since the beneficial fatty acids are safe and can be obtained as over-the-counter dietary supplements, researchers suggest they could…

Editor’s note: Columnist Laura Kolaczkowski reports from ACTRIMS in Orlando, Fla. The second Annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) got under way in Orlando, Fla., today and runs through Saturday. I have the honor of being on site to hear  presentations…

First-degree relatives of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may develop asymptomatic disease, suggesting the need to further evaluate family members to develop timely prevention strategies. The study, “Investigating early evidence of multiple sclerosis in a prospective study of high risk family members,” was presented at the Americas Committee for Treatment and…

Disease processes in multiple sclerosis (MS) likely contribute to the increased sensitivity to airway infections seen in MS patients, a series of experiments in mice demonstrated. The study, presented at the ACTRIMS 2017 Forum, showed that suppressive immune cells travel to the lungs and prevent an essential inflammatory reaction to viral…

Treatment with Apitope’s lead agent, ATX-MS-1467, decreased brain lesions in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) in a now-completed Phase 2a clinical trial. ATX-MS-1467 is a potential disease-modifying agent with an immune-tolerating action. It consists of four short peptides derived from the myelin basic protein, and is designed to reduce…

Stem cell transplants are most effective if done in young multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in early disease stages, who have not gone through several rounds of other treatments, according to a large study that followed transplant patients for more than five years. Study results also found that people with relapsing MS are much…

The second annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), a forum for clinicians, researchers and other MS specialists to network and discuss the  latest advances in MS research and treatment is set for Feb. 23–25. This year’s meeting takes place at the Omni ChampionsGate resort hotel in Orlando, Florida. Multiple Sclerosis News…

The MS world lost a very important person on Feb. 8. Britain’s Sir Peter Mansfield, Nobel Laureate, passed away at the age of 83. For most of us, his name means little, but his work revolutionized the way multiple sclerosis is diagnosed, and the way progression of the disease…

Canadian researchers are testing mice to see if cannabinoid oil products — a common medical marijuana treatment — could help alleviate the neuropathic pain that often afflicts patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The preclinical study, “Identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in supressing multiple sclerosis induced neuropathic pain following cannabinoid treatment in…

The world’s first registry for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases (ADs) has gone online, to honor National Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month in March. The Autoimmune Research Network (ARNet) is a creation of the Michigan-based American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), which is collaborating with the National Coalition of…

Gilenya (fingolimod) a multiple sclerosis (MS) drug developed to target the immune system and control inflammation, can also reduce the negative action of astrocytes, further controlling inflammation, says a new study. The article, “Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor Modulation Suppresses Pathogenic Astrocyte Activation and Chronic Progressive CNS Inflammation,” appeared in the…

There is some good news about stem cell therapy. A just-published study concludes that one form of human stem cell therapy is more effective at treating multiple sclerosis than the best of the MS medications being used currently. The not-so-good news is that approval of this…

Researchers have tested a new compound called ST266 in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) and found that its anti-inflammatory properties prevent the loss of cells related to optic neuritis — a condition that leads to vision loss. The study, “Intranasal Delivery of a Novel Amnion Cell Secretome Prevents…

EMD Soreno has recently published Phase 3 clinical data showing that Cladribine tablets reduced the annualized rate of brain volume loss (BVL, brain atrophy) compared to placebo in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study, “Reduced brain atrophy rates are associated with lower risk of disability progression…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients given gentle electrical stimulation to their tongues during physical and cognitive rehabilitation training benefited more than those who did not have the stimulation, a small pilot study demonstrated. Those who received the weak stimulation had significant improvements in balance and better scores than controls in cognition and other…

Regular massage therapy given people with multiple sclerosis (MS) significantly reduced their pain and fatigue, and helped to ease spasticity, a small pilot study reports. The results further support previous findings as to the benefits of massage in treating MS symptoms and improving patients’ quality of life. The study, “Impact of Massage Therapy on Fatigue,…

Lately, I have been reading more and more about the potential connection between the blood brain barrier and multiple sclerosis. I have been researching the blood brain barrier (BBB) to better understand it and share my findings with readers. The BBB is a network of endothelial cells…

Paeoniflorin (PF), a herb component used in Chinese medicine, improved symptoms and reduced inflammation in a mouse model that recapitulates the human features of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, “Paeoniflorin Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis via Inhibition of Dendritic Cell Function and Th17 Cell Differentiation”, appeared in the journal…

A specialty shoe insole that may help multiple sclerosis (MS) patients walk and go about their daily lives with more assurance and ease was developed by an Australian-led research team, which is now seeking 176 patients to test the insole in a three-month trial. The study is led by Anna Hatton, a physiotherapy professor…

Scientists have discovered the first blood biomarker for multiple sclerosis (MS) –  a chemical identifier in the blood. The discovery should lead to a simple blood test that makes it quicker and easier to follow the course of MS, a debilitating disease of the central nervous system affecting around 2.3 million people…

Small natural variations within the DNA sequence of the gene for interleukin-16 (IL-16) were linked to an increased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) in a small group of Iranian patients. The study, “The Association of Interleukin-16 Gene Polymorphisms with IL-16 Serum Levels and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in…

A genome-wide study has identified DNA regions associated with higher levels of circulating cytokines, small proteins that pay a role in inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Alterations in the levels and interplay of cytokines and growth factors play a key role in several inflammatory diseases, including MS. Cytokines help regulate…

Considerable differences exist in how multiple sclerosis patients, healthcare providers and insurance companies assess the value of current MS treatments, according to a literature review study by the data analysis firm Real Endpoints. For the study, a team of clinicians and researchers looked at more than 300 research articles, covering topics like…

A newly concluded clinical trial gives scientific evidence of the benefits that a stem cell transplant holds for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who fail to respond to medications — with researchers calling the procedure a reasonable option for those with high disease activity. Five years after the treatment — high-dose immunosuppressive therapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplant — further disease…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who received transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) while playing brain-training video games improved their learning and understanding skills to a greater extent than those who only brain-trained. Researchers at NYU Langone’s Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center underscored that while more research is needed to explore the procedure’s…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are showing signs of cognitive impairment may benefit from computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation programs, according to a new study. Difficulties with short-term memory, or with processing information and concentrating, are believed to affect 40% to 65% of MS patients. Studies have suggested that cognitive rehabilitation may help, and that computer-assisted therapy used…

A treatment delivered as a nasal solution helped to preserve eye neurons and improve eyesight in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a recent study demonstrated — suggesting that it may be possible to deliver drugs that target the brain in this noninvasive way. But nasal administration is not the only…