Helix Exams: Multiple Sclerosis

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Multiple Sclerosis

Definition of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting movement, sensation, and bodily functions. It is caused by destruction of the myelin insulation covering nerve fibers (neurons) in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

Pregnancy Hormone May Ease Multiple Sclerosis A hormone produced during pregnancy may benefit multiple sclerosis patients, a Canadian study finds. Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects about 2.5 million people worldwide. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks myelin, which insulates nerve cells and plays a critical role in the transmission of messages from cell to cell. Reductions in myelin lead to a progressive loss of sensation and movement in MS patients. Read the Article
Common Gene Defect Raises Stroke Risk A common genetic defect can significantly increase a person's risk for stroke, Danish researchers report. The 24-year study included almost 9,200 people, 393 of whom had a stroke and 504 of whom developed cerebrovascular disease during the study period. Read the Article
Multiple Sclerosis Drug Combats Vision Loss A controversial multiple sclerosis drug called Tysabri also reduces vision loss associated with the disease by 47 percent, a new study found. "Vision loss is probably one of the most disabling things that happens to people with MS," said lead researcher Dr. Laura J. Balcer, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "The exciting thing is, first, that we now have an eye-chart test that can pick that up and can show if treatments help vision. Second, this particular drug appears to help prevent vision loss." Read the Article
Many MS Patients Miss Out on Effective Drugs Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the United States are not taking or being prescribed immunomodulatory agents (IMAs) to treat the disease, even though the drugs reduce the frequency of relapse and slow disease progression. Read the Article
MS Now Striking Women Much More Often Than Men Although women have typically been much more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis than men, that gap has widened significantly in the past 60 years, new research shows. "We saw a marked increase in the number of women diagnosed compared to men. It started at two-to-one and is now four-to-one," said study author Gary Cutter, a professor of biostatistics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. Read the Article
Clinical Trials Update: April 27, 2007 This study will compare different doses of the study drug with a non-medicinal placebo in people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Candidates 18-55 may be included who have RRMS with at least one relapse in the last year or two relapses in last two years. Participants also must be able to walk 100 yards without assistance. Volunteers with diabetes or low heart rate are ineligible Read the Article
Drug Safety: There's No Magic Pill, Study Says If you think fighting red-hot blazes in collapsing buildings is risky, think again. Swallowing one aspirin each day for a year poses the same risk of death, new research suggests. In an analysis appearing in the May/June issue of Health Affairs, researchers compared half a dozen risky drugs to various occupational, recreational and transportation activities, with sometimes surprising results. For instance, few people know that aspirin carries a high risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Read the Article
Rituximab Reduced Disease Activity in MS Patients The drug rituximab reduces disease activity in people with the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to two new studies. Rituximab selectively targets and depletes a subset of immune cells called B-cells by targeting a specific protein on the cell surface. It's the first drug designed to target B-cells and may offer a new treatment for relapsing-remitting MS. Read the Article
Drug Safety: There's No Magic Pill, Study Says If you think fighting red-hot blazes in collapsing buildings is risky, think again. Swallowing one aspirin each day for a year poses the same risk of death, new research suggests. In an analysis appearing in the May/June issue of Health Affairs, researchers compared half a dozen risky drugs to various occupational, recreational and transportation activities, with sometimes surprising results. Read the Article
Clinical Trials Update: May 21, 2007 For people currently using Rebif to control multiple sclerosis, this study will evaluate their quality of life during the transition to a new investigational formulation of Rebif. Study medication will be provided at no cost to participants, who must be ages 18 to 60, diagnosed with a relapsing form of multiple sclerosis, and currently taking Rebif injections three times per week for at least the past six months. Read the Article
Health Tip: Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, often called the central nervous system. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says episodes (attacks) of MS can trigger the following symptoms, ranging from mild to severe: * Weakness, paralysis, pain, or extremity tremor. * Muscle spasms or atrophy. * Numbness or tingling. * Vision problems, including loss of vision, blurred vision, double vision, eye pain, or uncontrolled rapid eye movement. * Dizziness, vertigo, loss of balance, decreased coordination, or difficulty walking. * Urinary problems, including frequent urination and incontinence. * Decreased mental capacity, including ability to think clearly, concentrate, remember, generalize, and think in abstract terms. Read the Article
Vitamin D Cuts Cancer Risk: Study Boosting your vitamin D intake can dramatically reduce your risk of breast and other cancers, a new study found. The research adds to growing evidence that vitamin D can help protect against many forms of cancer as well as other diseases, Creighton University researchers said. Read the Article
Eye Protein Could Shield Against MS A naturally occurring protein called alphaB-crystallin may help protect against multiple sclerosis-related nerve cell damage and symptoms, say researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California. The protein is found primarily in the lens of the eye. It's not normally found in the brain, but develops in response to injuries inflicted on nerve cells by multiple sclerosis (MS). These nerve cell injuries can lead to the loss of motor control and paralysis in MS patients. Read the Article
Clinical Trials Update: June 22, 2007 This is a phase II study for people with multiple sclerosis who have cognitive impairment. Volunteers 18-64 who have at least a 9th grade education and a diagnosis of MS (relapsing remitting or secondary progressive) may be eligible. Candidates will be ineligible if they have memory deficits caused by significant neurological/psychological disorders, major depressive disorder, or are taking certain medications, including tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, Strattera, or CNS stimulants. Read the Article
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