Category Archives: MS Treatment

Public release date: 11-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Rachel Seroka rseroka@aan.com 612-928-6021 American Academy of Neurology MINNEAPOLIS A new study shows that taking part in a stress management program may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) prevent new disease activity. The study is published in the July 11, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 121 people with MS. Half received the stress management program, meeting with a therapist for 16 individual 50-minute sessions over five to six months. They learned about problem-solving skills, relaxation, increasing positive activities, and enhancing their social support. They could also choose optional sessions on topics such as fatigue management, anxiety reduction, pain management and insomnia treatment. After the treatment ended, the participants were followed for another five to six months. The remaining participants were put on a waiting list as a control group. After 10 months, they attended a five-hour workshop on stress management. A total of 77 percent of those receiving stress management training were free of new lesions, or brain damage that indicates disease activity, during the treatment period, compared to 55 percent of those in the control group. … Continue reading →

Multiple Sclerosis Patients Had Fewer New Brain Lesions During Treatment July 11, 2012 -- Teaching MS patients how to deal with stress can improve their quality of life -- and may also prevent or slow down formation of new brain lesions, according to a new study. Patients with multiple sclerosis who attended stress management therapy sessions for six months had fewer new brain lesions from disease flare-ups and slower disease progression during their treatment, Northwestern University researcher David C. Mohr, PhD, and colleagues found. The findings, published in the July 11 issue of the journal Neurology, add to evidence that stress management can slow MS disease activity. "People who got the stress management training had significant reductions in the incidence of new brain lesions while enrolled in the weekly sessions," Mohr tells WebMD. But the improvement disappeared when the weekly sessions ended, suggesting that more sustained therapy may be needed, he says. Mohr says stress management therapy may be a useful addition to MS drugs. He has spent more than a decade researching the impact of depression and stress on MS progression. The new study included 121 MS patients randomly assigned either to a stress management treatment group or to … Continue reading →

SPEARFISH Multiple sclerosis is debilitating disease and there are no known cures. So, in order to raise funds to assist with research, treatment and to bring awareness to the cause Bogan Fest was born. It just feels good to know you are doing something that makes a difference plus it's a great excuse for everyone to get together and hang out in the park, said Chris Bogan, 37, who came up with the original idea. It's great for families and we have been able to get a couple of really great bands lined up and we're roasting a pig so there will be plenty of food. In its third year, Bogan Fest will be held from 4-9 p.m. on Saturday, July 14 at Spearfish City Park and is being sponsored by Crow Peak Brewing Company. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to Bike MS, which is a part of the national Multiple Sclerosis Society. The highlight of the event's menu options include pulled pork that will have been smoked for at least 15 hours. Josh Fritz, part owner of Crow Peak Brewing Company, said this year's entertainment lineup is sure … Continue reading →

TITUSVILLE, N.J., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Janssen Research & Development, LLC, ("Janssen") announced today that it has committed $5.4 million in a new research sponsorship to advance the formation of a first-of-its-kind networked initiative aimed at uncovering the genetic and biologic causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) and accelerating new treatments for the disease. The sponsorship expands Janssen's Healthy Minds initiative, a program launched in 2011 to accelerate progress in the fight against neurologic and brain disorders and to build on the company's longstanding commitment to neuroscience and mental health. Under the research sponsorship, the Marin Community Foundation's (MCF) Multiple Sclerosis Project Fund will create an alliance of public and private research collaborators and enable data sharing and integration of scientific research using advanced computer-based systems modeling tools and analytics. The alliance will work together to expand and refine knowledge of MS and advance the creation of new approaches to treating disease with the aim of accelerating the identification of new targets, biomarkers and approaches to treatment. "The commitment of new funds under our Healthy Minds program to this research effort in MS builds on the longstanding Janssen tradition of advancing neuroscience research and commitment to innovative collaboration," said Husseini K. … Continue reading →

9 July 2012 Last updated at 02:37 ET Scientists have identified why a once-promising class of drugs do not help people with multiple sclerosis. An Oxford University team say a genetic variant linked to MS means the drugs which work for patients with other autoimmune diseases will not work for them. The team, writing in Nature, say the drugs can actually make symptoms worse. Experts say the work shows how a person's genetic make-up could affect how they responded to treatment. The drugs, called anti-TNFs, work for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, but they have not done so for patients with MS and researchers were unsure why. The Oxford University team looked at one particular genetic variant, found in a gene called TNFRSF1A, which has previously been associated with the risk of developing MS. The normal, long version of the protein sits on the surface of cells and binds the TNF signalling molecule, which is important for a number of processes in the body. But the team discovered the variant caused the production of an altered, shortened version which "mops up" TNF, preventing it from triggering signals - essentially the same thing that TNF blocking drugs do. … Continue reading →

Written by James Passeri Sunday, 08 July 2012 13:00 When Marcelle (Honorine) Gance came to America at the end of World War II, she left her French home in Marseille with an American newlywed and an enduring sense of gratitude and charity. Her writings and a family legacy stand as a testament to Ms. Gances devotion to helping others, especially St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, a premier center for research and treatment of childhood cancer and other deadly diseases, based in Memphis, Tenn. With the upcoming Honorine St. Jude Golf Classic, set for Monday, Aug. 27, at the Silvermine Golf Club in Norwalk, it seems that Ms. Gances son, Scott Gance of Wilton, has taken on the family baton of charity, having grown his infant golf tournament into a robust, multi-sponsored nonprofit, expected to bring in about $100,000 for the hospital. The tournaments inaugural year was 2010, generating $1,500 in proceeds. But in just two years, it has grown exponentially, thanks in large part to a much-welcomed group of community, regional and national supporters. Mr. Gance has dedicated the fund-raiser to his parents, Marcelle and Anthony, who met in France at the end of the war and settled in Vestal, … Continue reading →

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)- Botox its not just for wrinkles! Its been known to reduce fine lines, help chronic headaches, and reduce sweating. Now, it can help those suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). According to new research, the Botulinum toxin may help prevent shaking or tremor in the arms and hands of people with MS. "Treatments in use for tremor in MS are not sufficiently effective and new alternatives are needed," study author Anneke van der Walt, MD, consultant neurologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and research fellow with the University of Melbourne in Australia, was quoted as saying. The study included 23 people with MS that were given botulinum toxin type A injections or a saline placebo for three months. Then, they received the opposite treatment for the next three months. The scientists measured the tremor severity and their ability to write and draw before, during and after receiving the treatments. They also took video assessments every six weeks for six months. The study discovered that people saw significant improvement in tremor severity, writing and drawing at six weeks and three months after the botulinum toxin treatment compared to after placebo. In tremor severity, the participants improved an average of … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (July 2, 2012) Botulinum toxin may help prevent shaking or tremor in the arms and hands of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research published in the July 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Treatments in use for tremor in MS are not sufficiently effective and new alternatives are needed," said study author Anneke van der Walt, MD, consultant neurologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and research fellow with the University of Melbourne in Australia. For the study 23 people with MS were given botulinum toxin type A injections or a saline placebo for three months. Then they received the opposite treatment for the next three months. Scientists measured the tremor severity and their ability to write and draw before, during and after receiving the treatments. Video assessments were also taken every six weeks for six months. The study found that people saw significant improvement in tremor severity, writing and drawing at six weeks and three months after the botulinum toxin treatment compared to after placebo. In tremor severity, the participants improved an average of two points on a 10-point scale, bringing their tremor from moderate to mild. … Continue reading →

Newswise MINNEAPOLIS Botulinum toxin may help prevent shaking or tremor in the arms and hands of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research published in the July 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Treatments in use for tremor in MS are not sufficiently effective and new alternatives are needed, said study author Anneke van der Walt, MD, consultant neurologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and research fellow with the University of Melbourne in Australia. For the study 23 people with MS were given botulinum toxin type A injections or a saline placebo for three months. Then they received the opposite treatment for the next three months. Scientists measured the tremor severity and their ability to write and draw before, during and after receiving the treatments. Video assessments were also taken every six weeks for six months. The study found that people saw significant improvement in tremor severity, writing and drawing at six weeks and three months after the botulinum toxin treatment compared to after placebo. In tremor severity, the participants improved an average of two points on a 10-point scale, bringing their tremor from moderate to mild. In writing … Continue reading →

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Rachel Seroka rseroka@aan.com 612-807-6968 American Academy of Neurology MINNEAPOLIS Botulinum toxin may help prevent shaking or tremor in the arms and hands of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research published in the July 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Treatments in use for tremor in MS are not sufficiently effective and new alternatives are needed," said study author Anneke van der Walt, MD, consultant neurologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and research fellow with the University of Melbourne in Australia. For the study 23 people with MS were given botulinum toxin type A injections or a saline placebo for three months. Then they received the opposite treatment for the next three months. Scientists measured the tremor severity and their ability to write and draw before, during and after receiving the treatments. Video assessments were also taken every six weeks for six months. The study found that people saw significant improvement in tremor severity, writing and drawing at six weeks and three months after the botulinum toxin treatment compared to after placebo. In tremor severity, the participants improved … Continue reading →