research

Here’s my Pick of the Week’s News, as published in Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Blood Test Seen to Distinguish MS from Other Neurological Conditions A faster way to tell the difference between neurological diseases could mean earlier access to treatment for MS patients. Researchers at Michigan State…

A cell therapy product derived from human umbilical cord blood cells may be a promising treatment approach for patients with demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or leukodystrophy, according to a recent study developed at the Duke University Medical Center. The study, “A cord blood monocyte–derived cell…

Researchers at Michigan State University suggest that a blood test can distinguish patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) from people with other neurological conditions, according to a recent study published in EBioMedicine. Results from the study, “An In Vitro Diagnostic for Multiple Sclerosis Based on C-peptide Binding to Erythrocytes,”…

Researchers from Colorado State University propose a new model of fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS), designed to overcome the lack of a unified definition of fatigue that can be objectively tested using experimental approaches. With this model, the authors behind the article, “Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Misconceptions…

The 37th annual congress of The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) will take place in London between 14 – 17 September 2016.

News that scientists in the U.S. are working to find a new pre-HSCT treatment to carry out stem cell transplants without the need for chemotherapy, as published in Multiple Sclerosis News Today, leaves me with mixed feelings. While such a development could potentially be great news and an…

According to new research out of McGill University in Montreal, Microsoft Kinect, a 3-D depth and motion sensing input device for use with the company’s Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles and Windows PCs, could be a cheap, effective, and easy-to-use tool to evaluate walking gait difficulties in people with multiple…

  You want to help find answers about multiple sclerosis but don’t know how, and I hear your frustration about being unable to contribute in meaningful ways. Let me share with you the news that REAL MS (Research Engagement About Life with MS) was launched this summer, and I…

A long-term study underscores the potential benefits, especially in terms of relapses, of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients beginning treatment as soon as possible after symptoms appear — even before the disease is definitely diagnosed. “The 11-year long-term follow-up study from the randomized BENEFIT CIS trial” was published in the journal Neurology. Researchers in…

Researchers found the molecular target of the multiple sclerosis (MS)-approved drug Tecfidera, (dimethyl fumarate or DMF), unveiling the mechanism associated with the drug’s anti-inflammatory action. The study, “Dimethyl fumarate blocks pro-inflammatory cytokine production via inhibition of TLR induced M1 and K63 ubiquitin chain formation,” was…

Increasing a person’s confidence that they can complete tasks and reach goals in specific situations may benefit patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). In a new study, researchers used an intensive three-day social cognitive treatment, called Can Do, to increase patients’ self-efficacy, which resulted in long lasting improvements in their health-related…

A large study of multiple sclerosis patients (MS) came to the conclusion that clinical and brain imaging assessments drawn from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are poor measures of long-term prognosis for patients. The study, “Long-term evolution of multiple sclerosis disability in the treatment era,” published in the journal…

There are no specific therapies that can effectively cure patients with multiple sclerosis. However, there are a number of multiple sclerosis treatment options, particularly for the relapsing-remitting form of the disease. 1.Immunomodulation therapies which can control the inflammation of myelin sheaths and help restore the central nervous system.

As inflammation and neuronal death progressed in the brains of mice with multiple sclerosis (MS), a molecular signaling pathway with a key player called Wnt was seen to come into action in brain areas crucial for memory production, triggering the formation of new neurons. The findings, presented in the study…

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) recently awarded a sum of $5.5 million to two researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD. (Credit: UCSF) Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD, a clinical fellow in Neurology, received a $2 million grant to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to…

The Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) recently announced that its second annual ACTRIMS Forum will be at the Omni ChampionsGate Feb. 23-25, 2017, in Orlando, Florida. ACTRIMS Forum 2017 promises to be of value to physicians, scientists, researchers, analysts, faculty, and allied health…

Patients with aggressive onset multiple sclerosis, characterized by a rapidly progressing disease course and accumulation of disability, may benefit from early aggressive therapies instead of the escalation approach commonly given multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to researchers at Weill-Cornell Medical College. Their article, titled “A study of patients with…

Gut microbiota (the ecological community of microorganisms that live in the gut) may be an important environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). This suggests that strategies to correct the imbalance in the normal intestinal flora, also known as microbial dysbiosis may help treat or event prevent MS.

A review article published in the British Journal of Pharmacology assesses antioxidant approaches for treating neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The review, “Microglia antioxidant systems and redox signalling,” notes that certain compounds associated with oxidative stress appear to be promising…

Stem cell clinics are proliferating in the U.S., where there are now 570 in operation, according to a paper quoted by the New York Times. And concerns are being raised that these clinics are often operating and making claims beyond those allowed by the country’s public health regulatory…

RedHill Biopharma announced that the final patient has completed the last step of its Phase 2 clinical study (CEASE-MS) of RHB-104 as a potential treatment for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). RHB-104 is an antibiotic oral medication that blocks inflammation in addition to killing bacteria. RHB-104 was originally developed as a treatment for…

Understanding lipid signaling in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be the key to developing more effective therapies for the disease. New work by researchers at Cornell University could bring us closer to unraveling the role of lipids in MS development. Lipids are fat molecules that compose the cellular membranes and surround each organelle inside…

A study analyzing results from three Phase 3 clinical trials shows that Gilenya (fingolimod) effectively prevents relapses in different types of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with the therapy being most efficient in younger patients and those without previous treatment. The findings highlight the importance of starting treatment early, and not…

In addition to a new study sponsored by Genentech to test the experimental MS therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in RMS patients who have had a sub-optimal response to previous disease modifying therapies, the company is also currently recruiting patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis to understand the therapy’s mechanism of action and B-cell biology…

People with multiple sclerosis, especially those with cognitive disabilities, have more problems managing their personal finances — paying bills on time or using a credit card — than those without this disease, researchers report in the study, “Money Management Activities in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis,” published in the…

New research from England indicates that healthcare providers do not communicate enough with their patients about the possible outcomes for their multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, “How Do People with Multiple Sclerosis Experience Prognostic Uncertainty and Prognosis Communication? A Qualitative Study,“ appeared in the journal PLoS One.

Remyelination at the moment is the buzzword to beat all buzzwords in the world of research into, and treatment for, the vicious disease that is multiple sclerosis. Now, as you are reading this, you must have some knowledge of MS and are sure to know about the link between the…

Now they tell me! People diagnosed with what is termed as benign MS can benefit from disease modifying drugs (DMDs), according to a new study. Fourteen years ago, when diagnosed as having MS, the neurologist told me that it was benign. He said it had taken 25 years to progress…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society reported that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has granted nearly $20 million in funding to four research projects assessing various multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies for their clinical effectiveness. Two of the grants will cover studies comparing disease-modifying treatments, looking to identify differences…

A new study  focused on an aspect of multiple sclerosis (MS) that is sometimes overlooked by researchers: progressive dwindling, or the tendency over time for people with MS to become increasingly frail and dependent on caregivers, with diminished energy and heightened disability. The report, “Progressive Dwindling in Multiple Sclerosis: An Opportunity…