Category: Multiple Sclerosis

The MS Society has responded to yesterday’s Daily Express article, which carried a personal account of the benefits of fish oil in the diet of someone with multiple sclerosis (MS). The report was written on the back of recent research that has suggested oily fish may help to slow the disabling effects of MS.

Over 5 million student participants, 20 million books and $40 million raised for multiple sclerosis research and services. These are some of the major milestones marking the 30th birthday of one of Canada’s longest running in-school fundraisers, the MS Read-A-Thon.

Life Interrupted-It’s Not All about Me by Multiple Sclerosis sufferer Chris M. Tatevosian guides patients and caregivers with the awareness, knowledge and understanding they need to deal more positively with the emotional and physical stresses put on a relationship interrupted by illness or disability. Chronic illness doesn’t just cripple the mind and body; it can cripple even the strongest relationship. People dealing with MS or any chronic illness need coping skills.

The MS Society is committed to safeguarding MS specialist nursing posts. We initiated a summit meeting in May 2007 with the Chief Nursing Officer and the Minister, plus two other charities who also fund specialist nurses (Parkinson’s Disease Society and Epilepsy Action). The meeting was to highlight the importance of the specialist nurse and find ways of protecting the future of specialist nursing.

A new study suggests that an experimental drug being tested for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and to prevent organ rejection might also help people with certain deadly forms of chronic and acute leukemia.The laboratory and animal study focused on the drug, called fingolimod.

FINDINGS:UCLA scientists have found the first evidence that a specific form of estrogen can protect the brain from degeneration yet not increase the risk for estrogen-induced cancers of the breast and uterus. The study took place in mice infected with the animal equivalent of multiple sclerosis.

Using magnetic resonance (MR) images of the brain, researchers have identified a new abnormality related to disease progression and disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology, published by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Researchers report that daclizumab (PDL Biopharma, Inc. and Biogen Idec) alone or in combination with interferon beta reduced disease activity on MRI and improved symptoms in nine people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis*. John W. Rose, MD and colleagues (University of Utah, Salt Lake City) report their findings in the August 21 issue of Neurology (2007;69:785-789).

The MS Society has welcomed the decision, which will benefit nearly 3,000 people with this form of MS.Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the MS Society, said: “We welcome confirmation of NICE’s decision to approve Tysabri, which represents a vital treatment option for people with highly active relapsing remitting MS.”The health trusts now have three months to make Tysabri available and we hope there are no unnecessary delays.

Until recently physicians have had to rely on time-consuming and uncertain behavioural examinations to diagnose the onset of brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.Research published in the Institute of Physics’ Journal of Neural Engineering suggests that we could soon be able to diagnose the onset of many brain diseases by analysing the tiny magnetic fields produced by neuron activity in the brain.