August 14, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Walking loss more rapid among marginalized MS patients in US People with multiple sclerosis (MS) with a rapid decline in walking abilities were more likely to be older when first examined, female, or Black, according to a large data study in the U.S. Other factors associated with worsening walking impairment over time included living with MS longer, having progressive…
March 1, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS ACTRIMS 2023: HIV-positive people found to be less likely to develop MS People infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ā including HIV-positive individuals who received antiretroviral treatment at some point after infection ā are significantly less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a new analysis suggests.Ā The decrease in MS risk was particularly pronounced…
January 5, 2023 News by Marisa Wexler, MS How ‘Medical Gaslighting’ Affects Women With Chronic Illness: Study Women with chronic health conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience disbelief and disenfranchisement from healthcare providers when they seek care, a new study highlights. The study, “Womenās Experiences of Health-Related Communicative Disenfranchisement,” was published inĀ Health Communication. There is a long history of discrimination and…
August 4, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS X Chromosome Gene Variations Tied to 20 Times Higher MS Risk in Women Variations in more than a dozen genes on the sex-determining X chromosome are more common among those with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in the general population, according to an analysis of nearly 500,000 people in the U.K. Many of these genes are known to play roles in biological processes…
July 6, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Income, Education Levels Linked to Fatigue in MS Patients in New Study Lower levels of income and education, as well as other socioeconomic factors, are associated with the presence and severity of fatigue among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study in Norway found. Women, smokers, and those with other co-existing conditions or a higher disability level also were more…
May 9, 2022 News by Margarida Maia, PhD Past Childhood Abuse Linked to Increased MS Risk in Norwegian Study Women who were exposed toĀ sexual or emotional abuse as children may be at an increased risk of developingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, according to a large study in Norway. The risk was even higher among patients who experienced a combination of two or more types of abuse in…
April 7, 2022 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Questionnaire May Help Women Talk About Sexual Health While sexual problems are relatively common in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), it can still be difficult to openly discuss their experiences with their doctor. A questionnaire especially tailored for women with MS called the Sexual Dysfunction Management and Expectations Assessment in Multiple sclerosis – Female (SEA-MS-F) may…
February 22, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Review Highlights Substantial Knowledge Gaps in Women’s Health in MS There has been a marked increase in the amount of research done regarding women’s health in multiple sclerosis (MS) over the last decade or two, but there remain substantial gaps in scientific knowledge, especially for topics outside of pregnancy, according to a scoping review. “Future studies are needed that…
November 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Lesser Right-hand Dominance May Be Linked to More Severe MS Inconsistently switching between hands for most common manual activities ā or naturally choosing the left rather than the right hand ā may be associated with more severe multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), either in the form of younger age at diagnosis or progressive type, particularly in women, a small study suggests. These…
December 9, 2020 News by Diana Campelo Delgado MS Has Greater Impact on Womenās Physical Activity, Study Reveals Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a greater impact on women, reducing their levels of physical activity and increasing sedentary behavior, a recent study has found. The study, āDoes Multiple Sclerosis Differently Impact Physical Activity in Women and Man? A Quantitative Study Based on Wearable Accelerometersā was published in the…
July 10, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS MS Imaging Startup Among 8 Minority-owned Firms Earning Investment JuneBrain, a startup company that is developing a wearable head imaging device that enablesĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to remotely monitor their disease activity and treatment response, has received a $50,000 investment through TEDCOās Builder Fund, the investor announced. MS is caused by inflammation in the…
March 19, 2020 News by Catarina Silva More Attention Should Be Given to MS Patients’ Sexual Dysfunction, Study Advises Sexual dysfunction is prevalent among women with multiple sclerosis (MS), and one way physicians can help improve their patients’ quality of life is to ask them about the problem. That finding is detailed in the studyĀ āSexual dysfunction in women with multiple sclerosis: prevalence and impact on…
November 6, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Specific FOXP3 Mutation Linked to Greater Likelihood of MS in Brazilian Women, Study Reports A specific mutation in the FOXP3 gene, one already linked toĀ multiple sclerosisĀ in the Iranian population, was now also seen to increase the risk of MS in Brazilian women, a study reports. This mutation is also associated with higher-than-normal levels of TGF-Ī²1, an anti-inflammatory molecule, a finding that requires…
May 1, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Women with MS Have Higher Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction, Study Reveals Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to experienceĀ sexual dysfunction and sexual distress than those without the disease, a study reports. According to researchers, the high prevalence of sexual problems among these women may be linked to their age, degree of physical disability, and depression. The…
February 15, 2019 News by Larry Luxner Newly Published NMSS Study Confirms Nearly 1 Million Americans Have MS Itās finally official: Around 900,000 Americans and quite possibly more than that have multiple sclerosis (MS) ā easily double the long-accepted figure of 400,000. Since MS News Today first reportedĀ on this finding in November 2017, the National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ (NMSS) study, which reached that conclusion, has…
November 1, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #MSParis2017 ā MS Places Heavy Burdens on Women, Study in 8 European Countries Shows Multiple sclerosis (MS) can have severe implications on the lives of European women with the disease, finds a new report, affecting their education, their careers and their relationships. This disproportionate burden of MS in women versus men was the focus of a study, āThe Socioeconomic Impact of…
September 18, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Finnish Study Links Low Levels of Vitamin D to Higher Risk of MS in Women Women with low levels of vitamin D in their blood are more likely to developĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, finds a large-scale study on women in Finland. The study, “25-Hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and risk of MS among women in the Finnish Maternity Cohort,ā appearedĀ in the journal…
October 12, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Stress Urinary Incontinence Can Often Affect Mothers with Relapsing MS Stress urinary incontinence affects predominantly young adult mothers with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), particularly those with pelvic organ prolapse, according to a recent study. Exercises that strengthen theĀ pelvic floor muscles are suggested to reduce the risk ofĀ incontinence. The study, āStress Urinary Incontinence in Women With Multiple Sclerosis,ā…
October 3, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Lifelong Exercise Doesn’t Lower the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis, Large Study in Women Reports In a large prospective study with validated measures of physical activity, researchers found no evidence that exerciseĀ reduced a womanās risk of developingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Although physical activity is known to haveĀ numerous health benefits, it seems unlikely toĀ protect a person against the likelihoodĀ of developing MS, the study concludes. The study, published…
June 6, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc #CMSC16 – Researchers Present Findings Showing Women with MS Have Significant Depression, Fatigue, Decline in Cognitive Function Researchers at the University of Arizona studied the psychosocial symptoms felt by a group of female patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) from the southwestern United States, and found significant relationships between depression, fatigue, and cognitive decline — symptoms also related with poorer quality of life and reduced mental and…