Multiple sclerosis

  • Wearable sensors may identify MS patients at risk of worsening disability

    Wearable devices may help identify multiple sclerosis patients at greater risk of worsening disability and loss of brain volume, a study suggests. Researchers found people whose activity patterns changed were more likely to have worsening disability and loss of brain volume than those whose patterns changed less or not at all. The study shows an [...]

  • Daughter who watched mother battle MS for 20 years joins vaccine trial after own diagnosis

    A woman who watched her own mother live with the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) for over 20 years and has now been newly diagnosed with the disease herself has said joining a new vaccine trial targeting a potential underlying cause of the condition can help treat people with relapsing MS was an “obvious [...]

  • MS significantly increases dementia risk, study suggests

    People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a nearly fivefold increased risk of developing dementia compared with those without the disease, a nationwide study in Taiwan suggests. Treatment with disease-modifying therapies significantly reduced the risk of neurodegenerative dementias, conditions linked to the loss of brain cells. Use of Aubagio, known generically as teriflunomide, was also associated [...]

  • Breastfeeding may slow MS progression

    Longer breastfeeding in infancy may slow multiple sclerosis (MS) progression and delay disease onset, a study of adults with the condition suggests. Researchers found that adults with MS who were breastfed for more than six months had less severe disease than those breastfed for shorter periods. Every additional two months of breastfeeding was linked to [...]

  • Biotech closes $200m private placement to trial MS drug

    Immunic has closed a private placement raising US$200m upfront to fund MS drug trials, with the financing aimed at advancing late-stage studies in multiple sclerosis. The biotechnology company said the deal could provide up to a further US$200m if additional warrants are exercised. Immunic issued just over 229m pre-funded warrants priced at US$0.873 each, generating [...]

  • Mediterranean diet may slow MS disability

    Following a Mediterranean diet may help slow disability progression in people with early multiple sclerosis, partly by reducing biological ageing, news research suggests. The findings point to a link between diet, biological age and disability, suggesting lifestyle choices could influence long-term outcomes in MS. Biological age reflects how old cells and tissues appear, based on [...]

  • Voice study to detect multiple sclerosis

    A study has been launched to test whether artificial intelligence analysis of voice patterns can identify multiple sclerosis. The research will examine whether AI can spot the condition through subtle changes in how people speak. More than 2.9 million people worldwide are affected by MS, in which the immune system attacks the protective covering of [...]

  • Backwards walking study offers MS hope

    Backward walking training improved mobility, balance and signs of brain structural change in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a pilot study reports. Multiple sclerosis affects the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with vision, movement, sensation and balance. Participants completed eight weeks of treadmill and overground backward therapies. The results indicated measurable gains [...]

  • Cognitive problems in older MS patients liked to disability, not ageing

    MS cognitive problems are more common in older adults, but a new study suggests disability, not age, is the main driver. The research found that while older people with MS had more prevalent and severe cognitive problems, particularly in information-processing speed and memory, age was not directly associated with impairment after adjustments. Instead, greater disability [...]

  • Research uncovers signs of brain damage years before MS diagnosis

    MS may damage the brain for years before symptoms appear, new research has found. Scientists have gained new insight by examining thousands of proteins circulating in the blood, providing the clearest picture so far of when the condition first attacks the myelin sheath, the protective layer that surrounds nerve fibres. The results show that the [...]