Category: What’s New in MS Research

While we all know “MS” stands for “multiple sclerosis,” with so much exciting research reported in this edition of “What’s New in MS Research,” we can almost imagine that “MS” could also refer to the quest for “multiple solutions” in MS. Although a great deal of the research looks to further understand the biology, easing the symptoms, and slowing or stopping the physical damage of MS, the studies and other information presented here are very encouraging – and they are only a small sample of the vast array of research under way around the world.

This edition of MSAA’s “What’s New in MS Research” article features highlights from the annual meetings of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the Consortium of MS Centers (CMSC). Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, both of these meetings were held virtually. While not all of the reports are positive, the good far outweighs the rest, and encompasses not only promising research advances in MS, but also a potential role for a long-established DMT in treating COVID-19.

To live with multiple sclerosis (MS) is to cope with the challenges it presents and to look forward to the promise of ongoing progress in understanding and managing the condition. This edition of “What’s New in MS Research” reflects that mix of obstacles and opportunities.

This edition of MSAA’s “What’s New in MS Research” provides highlights from this year’s European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) annual meeting. Experts from throughout the world gathered in Stockholm, Sweden in mid-September to share and discuss the latest research into the causes, diagnosis, course, and treatment of multiple sclerosis.

If you have any doubts about the breadth and depth of ongoing research into the causes, nature, and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), the 12 items that follow should entirely allay those concerns. This latest edition of “What’s New in MS Research” reports on findings from the depths of the seas to the aisles of your local supermarket, and then to laboratories, hospitals, and MS clinics.

The effort to enhance the lives and health of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is advancing on many fronts, as researchers explore the impact of approaches ranging from stress management, exercise, diet, stem-cell therapy, and cannabis use, to a variety of approved and investigational disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). This latest edition of “What’s New in MS Research” features highlights from the annual meetings of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), both held in May of this year.

The opening months of 2019 saw significant research advances on many fronts in multiple sclerosis (MS). A sophisticated analysis of data using healthcare claims found that the number of people in the United States living with MS is more than twice as high as previously estimated. Dietary studies sounded a cautionary note for people with MS drinking soda and many other sweetened beverages, and a hopeful note on the potential for flavonoid-rich cocoa to reduce MS-associated fatigue. A promising stem-cell therapy is moving forward in the clinical-trials process, while the FDA is considering whether to approve a new disease-modifying therapy (DMT).

This installment of “What’s New in MS Research” highlights the breadth of that research, as the nine studies reported below examine everything from a possible link between food allergies and MS disease activity, to the promise of stem cell transplantation in people who have not obtained a satisfactory response from multiple disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Important studies on the potential causes of MS, the role of patient preferences in drug selection and adherence, and other topics also are covered.

This year’s gathering was held in Berlin, Germany, October 10-12, where the findings were presented from hundreds of studies on topics ranging from the safety and effectiveness of investigational medications to the role of diet in controlling symptoms of MS.

Research into the causes, diagnosis, impact, and management of multiple sclerosis (MS) continues to move forward on a broad front and at a rapid pace. While many advances are announced at medical meetings, such as the annual gatherings of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), American Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), and European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), other findings are reported in medical journals throughout the year.