symptoms

Marked differences in disease characteristics are observed between male and female patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) but they are more pronounced when comparing patients across clinical subtypes, a new study finds. The analysis found that although women are more prone to…

The end of the year is incredibly difficult. We already have to put up with more than others because of our MS.  In addition to that, the weather changes, the clocks turn back, and there is less sunlight, meaning vitamin…

Note: This story was updated Aug. 17, 2021, to note that T.gondii infection is a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, not a protective factor.  Toxoplasmosis, an infection by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, may confer a certain level of protection against multiple sclerosis (MS), according…

The levels of the protein neurofilament light chain (NfL) in the blood when a person experiences a first demyelinating event associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) can predict brain atrophy up to a decade later, a new study shows. Titled “Association of Serum Neurofilament Light Levels…

Exposure to air pollution, particularly to particulate matter 10 (PM10), small airborne and inhalable particles, may trigger inflammatory reactions in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), an Italian study reported. The study “Air pollution as a contributor to the inflammatory activity of multiple sclerosis” was published in the Journal of…

Annually, I’m frustrated by the changing of our clocks due to the end of daylight saving time. It seems so straightforward: Time either goes backward or forward by an hour. That’s it. It doesn’t seem so challenging to comprehend. Or does it?…

The brain volume of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) undergoes a dynamic cycle of enlargement and contractions, a new study shows. Patients with a lower volume (contractions) had less severe MS and a shorter disease duration, the study found. Overall, these findings suggest that frequent monitoring of the…

Using a two-pronged approach, researchers were able to restore myelin on regenerated nerve fibers in a mouse model of optic nerve injury, which has implications for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other diseases associated with myelin loss, a study reported. The study, “…

Did you know that there are various types of fatigue, and each makes us feel slightly different than the others? A long while ago, I was at an MS seminar listening to a nurse talk about fatigue. She…

Last week’s column, “The Loneliness of the Long-distance UTI Patient,” dealt with my dive into the Eastern (bloc) world of bacteriophages. It would be a fun exercise (and boy, do I need some exercise) to dive into the history of the discovery of bacteriophages and antibiotics. Both fight…

A recently identified group of immune cells saved damaged nerve cells from death and promoted nervous system repair, a new study suggests. This finding may represent new promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study, “A new neutrophil…

There is no significant association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and vitiligo, a skin condition in which patches of skin lose their color, a review study has found. The study, “Association of multiple sclerosis with vitiligo: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in the journal…

A newly identified population of immune cells contributes to inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The study, “A distinct GM-CSF+ T helper cell subset requires T-bet to adopt a TH1 phenotype and promote neuroinflammation,” was published in Science Immunology. MS is an…

The HLA-DR15 haplotype — a set of gene variants that tend to be inherited together — in the HLA-DRB1 gene plays a role in autoimmune response and, in combination with environmental factors, contributes to the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The study, “…

When did I first become aware of the word “phage”? “Star Trek,” of course! It was an episode about a disease that was destroying a race somewhere in the Delta Quadrant. (OK, possibly — even I fade out in the Nerdverse. But it definitely was in the “Voyager” series.)…

Editor’s note: Previously, this piece stated that Dr. Ide Smets theorized a transition to telemedicine as the standard of care could cause decreased life expectancy in the U.K. of up to 30 years. The piece has been corrected to state that such a change could result in a decreased life…

The cog fog (cognitive fog) is thick and heavy. I cannot seem to extract words from the alphabet soup that fills my head. This is torturous for a self-described word nerd. And as my MS progresses, so does the fog. Slowed cognition has become one of the most…

The presence of a particular gut bacterium widely used in probiotics, called Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), was sufficient to increase disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), but only in genetically susceptible animals, a recent study shows. These findings highlight the complex interactions between…

The nutritional supplement NanoStilbene, developed by Therapeutic Solutions International, worked better to reduce neurological damage and disease symptoms in an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) than the market-leading MS therapy Copaxone, the company announced. NanoStilbene is composed of easily absorbed nano-particles of pterostilbene, a…

Oral administration of trehalose — a sugar molecule found in plants and fungi and reported to have neuroprotective effects — eased symptoms and halted disease progression in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). These benefits were associated with a restoration of the ability of microglia (the brain’s immune cells) to break down…

Scientists developed a new therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) that prevents immune cells from exiting the lymph nodes and entering the spinal cord of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) — a condition that mimics MS in humans. The therapy, which consists of a…

Factors related to disease and personality, as well as specific health-related behaviors, are among the main determinants that can put people with multiple sclerosis (MS) at risk of unemployment, a study suggests. In particular, MS disease course, fatigue, self-efficacy (belief in one’s own abilities to cope, in this…

Human placental extract eased clinical symptoms, inflammation, and weight and myelin loss in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported.  Its researchers proposed that placental extracts be investigated as a way of better managing MS symptoms in people. …

Gilenya and Tecfidera Similarly Effective at Treating RRMS, Real-world Study Says Gilenya and Tecfidera are both oral disease-modifying therapies. Both meds attempt to limit the inflammatory action of the immune system. Both now have generic versions. And as this story reports, neither appears to have a leg up over…

A $957,000 grant will support research at the University at Buffalo into events that precede the onset of neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, the funding by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command will be used to investigate possible changes in cell metabolism that lead to disease onset or progression in…

A search is on for an anti-inflammatory treatment targeting the C-reactive protein — CRP, a biomarker of inflammation produced by the liver — of possible use in a wide variety of conditions, including immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and the…

Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) get tattoos. Often it’s a way to deliver a statement about MS to the world, or perhaps it’s a personal message to the person sporting it. But a new report cautions that too much ink might create a health issue for some folks.

In a nationwide survey of cannabis-based therapy use among Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS), almost half of respondents endorsed such products, primarily for nerve-based pain and sleep disturbances, and the perceived benefits for sleep and pain were highly correlated.  The reported…

Connectivity between parts of the brain related to vision and attention is altered in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), both during rest and while actively engaged in a task, a new study indicates. The study, “Altered brain network function during attention-modulated visual processing in multiple…

Hypertension is considerably more common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States than among those without the disease, a large data study reported. High blood pressure was found to be 42% more common among MS patients than non-patients adjusted for sex and age, with male…