Category Archives: MS Treatment

Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating neurological disease that affects tens of thousands of Americans. While there is yet no cure for the illness, researchers are working hard to understand its causes and mitigate its symptoms. New research investigates the effects of cutting-edge cognitive training technology on people with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an often disabling neurological disease that affects one's muscles, vision, mood, and concentration. MS is estimated to affect anywhere between 250,000-350,000 people in the United States, and 200 new cases of MS are diagnosed each week. While there is currently no cure for the condition, treatment options are available for reducing the symptoms. The most common therapy consists of steroid drugs, which have been shown to speed up recovery. A new technology called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been recently shown to improve some of the symptoms of MS. The tDCS device was created by Marom Bikson, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical engineering at The City College of New York, in collaboration and Abhishek Datta, Ph.D., the chief technology officer of Soterix Medical. Researchers from New York University's (NYU) Langone's Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center conducted a feasibility study for tDCS, and the results were … Continue reading →

Strongsville man tries stem cell treatment for MS Monica Robins, WKYC 12:30 AM. EST February 25, 2017 (Photo: Monica Robins, WKYC) STRONGSVILLE - Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable and often disabling neurological disease affecting more than 2 million people worldwide. There is no cure, but there is hope. And it may lie in stem cell research, which is both experimental and controversial. One Strongsville man is willing to take a chance, in the hopes he'll get back some of what the disease has stolen from him. To look at him, Gary LaBuda appears to be the picture of health. But when you watch him walk, you realize something isn't quite right. Four years ago, doctors diagnosed the 43-year-old with multiple sclerosis, or MS. A devastating, degenerating neurological disease. After a year on MS medication, his world changed in a day. "Every single symptom you could possibly have hit me and literally stopped me from working," he explains. "That day was the last day of my work." Some of those symptoms included slurring, constant dizziness and migraines, plus heat fatigue. His vision and cognitive function was also affected, causing him to lose words. Gary believes the cause was the medication. "Every … Continue reading →

Genetic Literacy Project MS treatment that 'resets' immune system may halt disease ... Science Daily A type of treatment for multiple sclerosis that 'resets' the immune system may stop progression of the disease in nearly half of patients. In a new study, the ... Multiple sclerosis treatment could 'reset' immune system with stem cell therapyGenetic Literacy Project all 3 news articles » See more here: MS treatment that 'resets' immune system may halt disease ... - Science Daily … Continue reading →

Laura Bennett, a 59-year-old pediatrician in Long Island, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997, but her symptoms consisted mostly of numbness and tingling until about six years ago. Thats when she started to have trouble walking. She went from using a cane, to a walker, to a scooter. Her knee became so stiff that flexing it was like trying to bend a lead pipe, she said. These days, she can only leave her home with help or in a wheelchair. The MS also left her with debilitating fatigue. Two years ago, her neurologist asked her if shed consider something a little unorthodox: Zapping her brain with an electrical current, from the comfort of her own home. The treatment was part of a study performed by Leigh Charvet, a neurologist at New York Universitys Langone Medical Center. It was meant to see if transcranial direct current stimulation, a brain treatment also known as tDCS, could be used remotely to relieve the brain fog and oppressive fatigue that many MS patients suffer. Each day for two weeks, Bennett would don a headband equipped with moistened sponges and attached to what she called a big cellphonea tDCS stimulator. When she was ready … Continue reading →

Workingtogetherto improve thehealthand well being of people with Multiple Sclerosis and other chronic neurologicalconditions. Our Centre started out over 25 years ago as people in Sussex with MS decided to get together and fundraise for treatment equipment, now were also helping people with other long-term health conditions such as Stroke, ME, and children with Cerebral Palsy and Autism to name but a few. We support each other in keeping control of our lives, countering isolation, and managing symptoms. You can come to the Centre and access a wide variety of drug free treatments, exercise classes and social opportunities to cater for differing needs. Our aims are to maintain flexibility and mobility, provide pain relief, and promote well-being and a positive attitude. We strive to keep our services affordable and we will never refuse you a treatment for financial reasons. We offer a variety of individual treatments, such as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Shiatsu, Massage, Acupuncture, Chiropody and Osteotherapy. We also have group activities such as Seated Exercise, Yoga, Pilates, Physio Gym, Tai Chi, Voice Work, Meditation and Fitness classes. There is a very popular weekly coffee morning, and we hold regular social events with live music or other entertainment. You can … Continue reading →

BBC News Risky treatment can stop multiple sclerosis for years BBC News A multiple sclerosis treatment being tested in patients can stop the disease for at least five years, say doctors. The risky therapy involves wiping out the person's immune system with strong cancer drugs and then rebooting it with a stem cell ... MS treatment that 'resets' immune system may halt disease progression for at least 5 yearsScienceBlog.com (blog) Multiple sclerosis: Stem cell transplantation may halt disease progressionMedical News Today Stem Cell Transplants May Help Some With MSWebMD Telegraph.co.uk -Mirror.co.uk -Daily Mail -The JAMA Network all 29 news articles » The rest is here: Risky treatment can stop multiple sclerosis for years - BBC News … Continue reading →

Apitope is developing therapeutic peptides to induce suppression of autoimmune responses towards self-antigens. Their recent phase IIa trial has revealed promising results for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a hot topic these days.While arecentlong-term study revealedthe potential of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of MS, this treatment strategy is associated withlife-threatening complications mainly due toimmune deficiency. A very different approachis based on reinstating immune balance without causing global immune suppression. Apitopes technologyuses specific peptides, which induce an antigen-specific expansion of regulatory T cells the key mediatorsof immune tolerance. These cells are able to suppress autoantigen-specific helper T cells, which produce proinflammatory cytokines and are responsible for immune pathology in diseases such as MS. With itstechnology Apitope is trying to tackle four major disease areas includingMS, Graves Disease, Hemophilia type A and Uveitis. In 2009, Apitope licensed its MS lead ATX-MS-1467 to Merck KGaAin orderto develop and commercialize the treatment. However, Apitope announced that it regained full rights of their product in October 2016. Damage of the myelin sheath by the immune system in patients with multiple sclerosis. It seems like this was not a bad deal for Apitope as the company has now announced … Continue reading →

By Trevis Gleason Since the mid-1990s, the diagnosing process for most people suspected of having multiple sclerosis (MS) has included a lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap) to look for certain antibodies and proteins, and an MRI scan to look for lesions in the brain. Previous to that, immersion into a hot tub (to see if symptoms worsened with heat) and evoked response tests may have been used. In the future, its possible that a test for blood biomarkers could become a standard part of the diagnostic process for MS and it could also help to determine the best form of treatment for those diagnosed. Earlier this month, Australian researchers announcedthey had discovered blood biomarkers of multiple sclerosis after 12 years of research. The biomarkers not only identify the presence of MS but also help to determine a persons stage of MS progression. While a commercial blood test using this research is not yet available, one is currently being developed. AnAustralian radio broadcaston the biomarker discovery gave a good sense of how the researchers see such a blood test for MS panning out. The researchers hope this type of blood testing might also prove helpful for people withmotor neuron … Continue reading →

Kirk Smith knows the local music scene the musicians, the venues, the good times. He and wife Laurie can often be found enjoying the sounds at Hudsons on Mercer and Mercer Street Dancehall. But the sounds of the music are fading for Kirk as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) continues to claim more and more of his abilities and enjoyment in life. After trying one treatment after another over decades to slow his hearing loss, balance problems, and relieve his intense nerve and muscle pain, Kirk had nearly given up hope of reclaiming his life from the debilitating disease. But when his son Derek was diagnosed with MS at age 23, Kirk knew he had to keep fighting for Derek, as well as for himself. Hope did come from friends who had recently undergone Expanded Stem Cell Therapy in Panama and were experiencing significant gains in their own struggles with MS. After thoroughly researching the successful and promising cutting-edge therapy (not currently available in this country) Kirk and Laurie became determined that Kirk should have that chance at recovery. The only obstacle was the $25,000 cost. (The experimental treatment is not covered by health insurance). Enter the music community in Dripping Springs, … Continue reading →

In separate clinical trials, a drug called ocrelizumab has been shown to reduce new attacks in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), and new symptom progression in primary progressive MS. Three studies conducted by an international team of researchers, which included Amit Bar-Or and Douglas Arnold from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital of McGill University, have discovered that ocrelizumab can significantly reduce new attacks in patients with relapsing MS, as well as slow the progression of symptoms caused by primary progressive MS. In one study, 732 patients with primary progressive MS were randomized on a 2:1 ratio to receive either ocrelizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that depletes CD20+ B cells, or a placebo. The proportion of patients with 12-week confirmed disability progression was 39.3 per cent with the placebo versus 32.9 per cent with ocrelizumab. After 24 weeks, the proportion with confirmed disability progression was 35.7 per cent with placebo versus 29.6 per cent with ocrelizumab. By week 120, timed 25-foot walk worsened by 55.1 per cent for placebo versus 38.9 per cent for ocrelizumab. Patients given ocrelizumab were also found to have fewer new brain lesions and less brain volume loss than those given the placebo. Researchers … Continue reading →