This past weekend, my partner and I went for a walk to soak up what might be the last of the pleasant weather before the sun begins to melt Florida. Since my hip revision, I’ve struggled to make movement a consistent habit as my right leg remains a little…
symptoms
One year of Tysabri (natalizumab) treatment improves working ability among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to new data from TITAN, an observational study by researchers in France that assessed the impact of the infusion therapy. Use of the approved therapy resulted in improvements across several parameters:…
In recent months, I’ve attended a couple events in large stadiums. Last December, I went to the Music City Bowl college football game in Nashville, Tennessee, where Mizzou (the University of Missouri) beat the Iowa Hawkeyes. I also saw a Justin Timberlake concert at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City,…
I remember the day of my relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis diagnosis, when I didn’t understand the weight of what I’d been told. I was only 17 years old and didn’t know what questions to ask, what the future held, or what I should’ve felt after hearing those words. Aside from feeling…
People of Asian descent tend to be younger than white people when they first exhibit symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a U.S. study reports. Asians also tended to be younger at the time of their diagnosis. No differences were found in demographics or disease characteristics between Asian patients…
Quantum Biopharma is partnering with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on a clinical study to test a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for monitoring changes in myelin content in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Phase 1 study (NCT04699747) is recruiting healthy adults and people…
In an Army surveillance course I took in the spring of 2010, which I wrote about last year, I learned more than just the fact that I had a noticeable limp. For instance, on the first day, we had a class on simple ways to alter your appearance when…
I knew that starting my college journey in a a different city, less than a year after receiving my relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) diagnosis, would be challenging because I didn’t fully understand what was happening in my body. Even though my college, the University of Texas at Austin,…
A small molecule that blocks the activity of a protein called TYK2 in the brain showed promise at reducing disease activity in mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The study was conducted by Neuron23, which is advancing a small molecule TYK2 inhibitor called NEU-627…
Sexual dysfunction affects 80% of women in Iran with multiple sclerosis (MS), with older age and lower education levels seen as key risk factors, a study found. The study, ”The prevalence of sexual dysfunction and its contributors among the women with multiple sclerosis,” was published in BMC Women’s…
A researcher and neurologist at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia has won the 2025 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research for his work in uncovering immune mechanisms of multiple sclerosis (MS), identifying disease biomarkers, and finding new avenues toward tailored medicine. The prize comes with a sculpture and…
Natasha Quariab relaxes in her garden in Amman, Jordan, in 2023. (Photos courtesy of Natasha Quariab) Day 29 of 31 This is Natasha Quariab’s story: I woke up and tried to move my right leg. Nothing. My heart pounded. This couldn’t be happening. Not here, alone in a snowy…
Just before a deployment, all the teams in my military unit received a large supply of medical gear that included two medical backpacks, or aid bags. As the team’s medic, I elected not to bring them, because I already had a bag that I liked, and the new ones looked…
Dimika V. Cavalier is shown in a photo she uses for advocacy work. (Photos courtesy of Dimika V. Cavalier) Day 26 of 31 This is Dimika V. Cavalier’s story: My journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) began in my early 30s. I was having episodes of vertigo that would…
Nearly 50% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) report pronounced fatigue, which has a significantly negative effect on their well-being, a new study from Finland has found. In an analysis of data from more than 500 patients from the Finnish MS registry, individuals with self-perceived fatigue were more likely…
Karly Isaacson’s mother, Donna Ball, laces up Karly’s dress for her wedding last summer. (Photos courtesy of Karly Isaacson) Day 24 of 31 This is Karly Isaacson’s story: When I think of empowerment and multiple sclerosis (MS), I think of my mom. I had my first MS…
More Stamina, a gamified mobile app, helped a small group of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) better manage their fatigue by becoming more aware of their energy levels and planning their activities more effectively, according to a study from Finland. “Fatigue is an invisible but life-altering symptom…
Ena Salcinovic celebrates her birthday three years after her MS diagnosis. (Photos courtesy of Ena Salcinovic) Day 22 of 31 This is Ena Salcinovic’s story: Saturday. Finally. A good day. I still believe that even though I overslept and missed the Red Cross and our weekly international cooking. I…
Ross smiles for a photo. (Photos courtesy of Ross) Day 21 of 31 This is Ross’ story: I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in 2007 when I was a senior in college. I had been very sick with vertigo and gastrointestinal issues for a year…
Evidence of neurological damage over time — known as dissemination in time, or DIT — may not be necessary to reach a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) for all patients, according to a report by U.K. researchers. Traditionally, an MS diagnosis would typically require both DIT and DIS,…
Cognitive impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have not previously received treatment, affecting about 1 in 4 patients, and rates are particularly higher in those with secondary progressive MS (SPMS), a new study found. “The current study demonstrates that a significant portion of MS…
I flew to Detroit for work this month, then on to Phoenix to see my parents, and then back home to Kansas City, Missouri. But traveling by airplane has gotten more complicated for me because of my multiple sclerosis (MS). I don’t need assistive devices, so I know my…
Ronald Harris shows off his new power wheelchair. (Photos courtesy of Ronald Harris) Day 17 of 31 This is Ronald Harris’ story: Harris is seen working from home, using a desk that accommodates his power chair. My journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) began with an unexpected diagnosis…
Antibodies that target proteins from the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) also can inadvertently attack proteins in the brain, which may help to explain the link between EBV and multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. Findings also indicate that antibodies targeting EBV as well as a person’s genetics both…
Tom Anderson, 67, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at about 30 years old. (Photos courtesy of Tom Anderson) Day 16 of 31 This is Tom Anderson’s story: I may be the dimmest star, but don’t get all hokey on me. There are lots of us. The following are the…
Christy Hoffman poses for a picture with her husband Mike, who has MS. (Photos courtesy of Christy Hoffman) Day 13 of 31 This is Christy Hoffman’s story: Anxious. Blessed. Curious. Daring. Excited. Frustrated. Gregarious. Happy. Isolated. Jovial. Kind. Loving. Moody. Numb. Opinionated. Pumped. Quiet. Restless. Strong. Trusting. Underrated. Valiant.
In the lymph nodes of the neck of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), certain immune cells show abnormalities in activity and signs of reactions against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a new study reports. The findings may help to explain the connection between MS and EBV, researchers said. The study,…
Nanette Lai locks eyes with her chihuahua Fanny. Lai says mutual gazing between humans and dogs can cause synchronization in areas of the brain. (Photos courtesy of Nanette Lai) Day 12 of 31 This is Nanette Lai’s story: My name is Nanette, and I have lived with relapsing-remitting…
Neurons, also called nerve cells, collected from brain lesions of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were found to accumulate new genetic mutations at a significantly faster rate than healthy neurons did, according to a new report. The researchers also found that neurons in such lesions exhibited distinct mutation…
I spent most of February staring at a blank screen, the blinking cursor mocking me. Despite having a solid idea to convey and a column deadline looming, my brain was stuck in the mud of cognitive fog. I tried to force my mind to cooperate, but it was like trying…