Category Archives: MS Treatment

OMRF's Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence treats more than 2,500 patients who suffer from MS and provides diagnosis, treatment, physical therapy and clinical trials. OKLAHOMA CITY On Saturday, March 18, more than 100 multiple sclerosis patients and their support partners from across Oklahoma and five other states attended a Can Do Multiple Sclerosis JUMPSTART Program at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. OMRFs Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence treats more than 2,500 patients who suffer from MS and provides diagnosis, treatment, physical therapy and clinical trials. The JUMPSTART program was held in collaboration with Can Do MS out of Avon, Colo., and the National MS Society. Can Do MS connects the expertise of industry professionals from across the field of MS care management, including neurologists, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, registered nurses, physicians and nutritionists. We believe knowledge is power, especially when dealing with chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, said OMRF neurologist Tania Reyna, M.D., who welcomed patients, their families and caregivers to the all-day event. These types of programs are conducive for learning, and we are particularly pleased to see the interaction of the support partners, which is an important component of patient care. Participants … Continue reading →

JoAnne Viviano The Columbus Dispatch @JoAnneViviano Nathan Frim calls Dr. Michael Racke a miracle worker. The 44-year-old Frim, who has multiple sclerosis, used to take a pill every day, but his disease progressed. In the past, there wasn't much Racke or other doctors could do. But along came a drug called ocrelizumab. It's Racke's magic wand. The drug, expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today, has been shown to halt the disease in patients with both relapsing MS and primary progressive MS, said Racke, a neurologist at Ohio Sate University's Wexner Medical Center. "It brings peace of mind," said Frim, who has relapsing MS. "Being on this medicine, I'm not worried about the progression. I feel that that's not an issue for me right now." Further, the dosing schedule an infusion every six months gives him a reprieve from worrying about the disease that doctors discovered he had in December 2014. For days at a time, he said, he doesn't even think about having MS. Frim, of Sunbury, received his latest dose of ocrelizumab on March 17.He's one of about 70 patients receiving the drug at Ohio State as part of clinical trials by drugmaker … Continue reading →

New York Times FDA Approves First Drug to Treat Severe Multiple Sclerosis New York Times The Food and Drug Administration approved on Tuesday the first drug to treat a severe form of multiple sclerosis, offering hope to patients who previously had no other options to combat a relentless disease that leads to paralysis and cognitive decline. FDA Approves Ocrevus as 1st MS Treatment for Both Relapsing and Primary Progressive FormsMultiple Sclerosis News Today After 40-year odyssey, first drug for aggressive MS wins FDA approvalSTAT Roche Wins FDA Backing for New Multiple Sclerosis Therapy, Competition Could Crimp BiogenTheStreet.com Reuters -BioPharma Dive all 16 news articles » Read more: FDA Approves First Drug to Treat Severe Multiple Sclerosis - New York Times … Continue reading →

Science Daily Microrna treatment restores nerve insulation, limb function in mice with MS Science Daily Study authors administered miR-219 into the spinal columns and cerebrospinal fluid of mice with nerve coatings damaged by a chemical called lysolecithin or by autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced in the animals, which is used to model MS. Treatment ... Myelin formation, limb function restored in MS mouse modelsMedical News Today all 3 news articles » More: Microrna treatment restores nerve insulation, limb function in mice with MS - Science Daily … Continue reading →

Newswise CINCINNATI Scientists partially re-insulated ravaged nerves in mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS) and restored limb mobility by treating the animals with a small non-coding RNA called a microRNA. In a study published online March 27 in Developmental Cell, researchers at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center report that treatment with a microRNA called miR-219 restarted production of a substance called myelin in nerves of the central nervous system. Myelin forms a protective sheath around nerves, allowing them to efficiently transmit electrical impulses that stimulate movement. Study authors administered miR-219 into the spinal columns and cerebrospinal fluid of mice with nerve coatings damaged by a chemical called lysolecithin or by autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced in the animals, which is used to model MS. Treatment with miR-219 reinvigorated the function of damaged cells called oligodendrocytes that produce myelin, which allowed the substance to reform and reinsulate nerves. We show that miR-219 targets multiple processes that inhibit myelin formation after nerve injury by the disease process, and that treatment with this microRNA partially restores myelination and limb function, said Q. Richard Lu, PhD, lead investigator and scientific director of the Brain Tumor Center at Cincinnati Childrens. It is conceivable that augmenting miR-219 treatment … Continue reading →

Study authors administered miR-219 into the spinal columns and cerebrospinal fluid of mice with nerve coatings damaged by a chemical called lysolecithin or by autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced in the animals, which is used to model MS. Treatment with miR-219 reinvigorated the function of damaged cells called oligodendrocytes that produce myelin, which allowed the substance to reform and reinsulate nerves. "We show that miR-219 targets multiple processes that inhibit myelin formation after nerve injury by the disease process, and that treatment with this microRNA partially restores myelination and limb function," said Q. Richard Lu, PhD, lead investigator and scientific director of the Brain Tumor Center at Cincinnati Children's. "It is conceivable that augmenting miR-219 treatment with other blockers of myelin regrowth may provide a multipoint treatment strategy for people with demyelinating diseases like MS." The authors stress that because their study was conducted in laboratory mouse models of disease, their data cannot at this stage be applied to clinical treatment in humans. Lu's laboratory studies how certain glial cell subtypes of the central and peripheral nervous system form, participate in regeneration and how they can transform into cancerous cells. Molecular Silencer MicroRNAs are short segments of RNA encoded on the chromosomes … Continue reading →

JoAnne Viviano The Columbus Dispatch @JoAnneViviano Nathan Frim calls Dr. Michael Racke a miracle worker. The 44-year-old Frim, who has multiple sclerosis, used to take a pill every day, but his disease progressed. In the past, there wasn't much Racke or other doctors could do. But along came a drug called ocrelizumab. It's Racke's magic wand. The drug, expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today, has been shown to halt the disease in patients with both relapsing MS and primary progressive MS, said Racke, a neurologist at Ohio Sate University's Wexner Medical Center. "It brings peace of mind," said Frim, who has relapsing MS. "Being on this medicine, I'm not worried about the progression. I feel that that's not an issue for me right now." Further, the dosing schedule an infusion every six months gives him a reprieve from worrying about the disease that doctors discovered he had in December 2014. For days at a time, he said, he doesn't even think about having MS. Frim, of Sunbury, received his latest dose of ocrelizumab on March 17.He's one of about 70 patients receiving the drug at Ohio State as part of clinical trials by drugmaker … Continue reading →

In the relentless battle against multiple sclerosis (MS), U of A researchers recently discovered an entirely new cellular mechanism -- an underlying defect in brain cells -- that may to be blame for the disease, and a potential hallmark that may be a target for future treatment. The finding opens the door to a brand new avenue of study in the battle against the cryptic autoimmune disorder that strikes more Canadians than any other nationality worldwide, said Fabrizio Giuliani, study co-author, U of A neurologist and medical director of the Northern Alberta MS Clinic. "Scientists have been pointing to the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, as a possible link to MS, but have not been able to decipher how they malfunction. Ours is the first study that combines clinical and lab experiments to explain how mitochondria become defective in MS patients," said Thomas Simmen, study co-author and cell biology professor. Specifically, using human brain tissue samples, the researchers discovered how two sub-components within a cell are miscommunicating in patients with MS, and identified how at least one protein (Rab32) is swooping in to trigger the dangerous dysfunction. "A part of the cell that stores calcium (ER or endoplasmic reticulum) … Continue reading →

March 23, 2017 Demyelination by MS. The CD68 colored tissue shows several macrophages in the area of the lesion. Original scale 1:100. Credit: Marvin 101/Wikipedia In the relentless battle against multiple sclerosis (MS), U of A researchers recently discovered an entirely new cellular mechanisman underlying defect in brain cellsthat may to be blame for the disease, and a potential hallmark that may be a target for future treatment. The finding opens the door to a brand new avenue of study in the battle against the cryptic autoimmune disorder that strikes more Canadians than any other nationality worldwide, said Fabrizio Giuliani, study co-author, U of A neurologist and medical director of the Northern Alberta MS Clinic. "Scientists have been pointing to the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, as a possible link to MS, but have not been able to decipher how they malfunction. Ours is the first study that combines clinical and lab experiments to explain how mitochondria become defective in MS patients," said Thomas Simmen, study co-author and cell biology professor. Specifically, using human brain tissue samples, the researchers discovered how two sub-components within a cell are miscommunicating in patients with MS, and identified how at least one protein … Continue reading →

25 Mar 2017, 1:40 p.m. "I was scared I was going to be put in a box." How online therapy can help manage depression. It was an illness that almost claimed her life. There were days when she couldn't leave the house, or even get out of bed. But for years after she was diagnosed, Shannai Pearce was too afraid to get help. "I was scared I was going to be put in a box and labelled as nuts, and that was going to be it for the rest of my life," Ms Pearce said. Like one in 13 Australian children aged 11 to 17, Ms Pearce suffered from major depression. Yet up to 70 per cent of people reporting symptoms of depression will not seek treatment, a factor contributing to Australia's rising suicide rate. The stigma that persists around mental illness, the cost and availability of services, and difficulty scheduling appointments around busy lives can be barriers to getting the necessary treatment. And, as Ms Pearce said, "the symptoms of mental health issues also generally restrict people from seeking the help they need". That's why smartphones, laptops and tablets can be a lifeline, with a new study providing evidence … Continue reading →