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| Multiple
Sclerosis |
| This page was written
by Shelley Ensz,
and has not yet been medically edited. See Disclaimer. |
|
| Overview of Multiple
Sclerosis (MS) |
| Multiple
sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting
movement, sensation, and bodily functions. It is caused by
destruction of the myelin insulation covering nerve fibers
(neurons) in the central nervous system (brain and spinal
cord). aHealthyMe. |
| Symptoms of Multiple
Sclerosis |
| Possible
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Symptoms may include
weakness, numbness, pain, disturbances of speech or vision,
parasthesias, ataxia, tremor, dizziness, bladder or bowel
dysfunction, fatigue, cognitive problems and depression. WebMD. |
| Overlaps with Multiple
Sclerosis |
| Co-occurrence
of autoimmune thyroid disease in a multiple sclerosis cohort. Multiple
sclerosis (MS), Hashimoto's (HT) disease and Graves' disease
are autoimmune diseases that may share similar pathogenic
mechanisms. The co-occurrence rates and demographic characteristics
of Graves' disease and HT in our MS population are compared
with the general population. There is a significant co-occurrence
in patients with MS and Graves' disease, and a trend to co-occurrence
in patients with MS and HT. Journal of Autoimmune diseases
11/09/05. (Also see: Thyroid Disease) |
| Inflammatory
Bowel Disease (IBD) Linked to Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
(MS). People with inflammatory bowel disease have a higher
than normal risk for developing multiple sclerosis and other
autoimmune disorders, such as asthma, arthritis, chronic
kidney disease, psoriasis, bronchitis. WebMD. 09/01/05.
(Also see: Bowel
Involvement) |
| Riedel's
thyroiditis in a patient with multiple sclerosis. The
association between MS and Riedel's thyroiditis remains obscure
but may reflect an autoimmune disorder common to both diseases. PubMed.
Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2005 Feb;26(1):67-8. |
| A
prospective study of conditions associated with multiple
sclerosis in a cohort of 658 consecutive outpatients attending
a multiple sclerosis clinic. The MS population had significantly
increased rates of asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, type
1 diabetes mellitus, pernicious anaemia, autoimmune thyroid
disease, uveitis, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, bipolar
disorder and melanoma compared to the general population. PubMed.
Mult Scler. 2004 Oct;10(5):575-81. |
| Multiple Sclerosis
and Glandular Fever |
| Glandular
fever and Multiple Sclerosis link more evidence found. The
children with MS had double the chance of being infected
with the virus that causes glandular fever. Medical News
Today 04/22/04. |
| Multiple Sclerosis
and Scleroderma |
| Multiple sclerosis (MS) sometimes
occurs along with systemic
scleroderma, or other
autoimmune diseases. |
| Multiple sclerosis associated with systemic sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) has been increasingly reported in association
with other autoimmune diseases not primary affected the nervous system.
We report here the case of a 46-year-old female patient with longstanding
MS since the age of 26, who developed SSc 12 years later. IngentaConnect.
Rheumatology International, Vol 27, No
8, June 2007 , pp. 771-773(3). (Also see: Multiple
Sclerosis) |
| Multiple sclerosis (MS) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The
report highlights the interesting association between MS and
SSc that may be due to an overlapping pathogenetic mechanism
for both processes. PubMed. Rheumatol Int. 2006 Dec 14.
(Also see: Overlap
Syndrome) |
| Lisa
W: Diffuse Scleroderma, CREST and Multiple Sclerosis I
was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). That
also took over a year to diagnose. My doctors tell me that
I am one out of millions with this case of bad luck... |
| Causes of Multiple
Sclerosis |
| New Research Shows How Chronic Stress Worsens Neurodegenerative Disease Course.The evidence is accumulating on how bad stress is for health. Chronic stress can intensify inflammation and increase a person’s risk for developing central nervous system infections, neurodegenerative diseases, like multiple sclerosis, and other inflammatory diseases, say researchers at the Convention of the American Psychological Association. NewsWise Medical News. 08/17/07. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: Stress) |
| After a decades-long search, scientists identify new genetic risk factors for multiple sclerosis. A pair of large-scale genetic studies supported by the National Institutes of Health has revealed two genes that influence the risk of getting multiple sclerosis. EurekAlert! 07/29/07. |
| Scientists to unlock genes behind common serious illnesses. The biggest DNA analysis of whole human genomes will shed light on why some people are more at risk of developing a serious illness. They are examining 15,000 markers for genetic variations relating to another four diseases - breast cancer, autoimmune thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Guardian Unlimited. 04/14/07. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: Genetics,Thyroid Disease, and Diabetes) |
| The
Risk Of Multiple Sclerosis May Be Decreased By High Levels
Of Vitamin D In The Body. In the first large-scale,
prospective study researchers have found an association between
higher levels of vitamin D in the body and a lower risk of
MS. Medical News Today. 12/31/06. (Also
see: Causes
of Scleroderma: Vitamin D Deficiency) |
| Elevated
urinary excretion of aluminum and iron in multiple sclerosis.
Scientists have discovered the first evidence of a link between
human exposure to aluminium and multiple sclerosis, with
very high (up to 40 times the control level) urinary excretion
of aluminium in MS, particularly so in the relapsing-remitting
form of the disease. Keele University UK, 02-17-06. |
| Do
Bacteria or Viruses Cause MS? Though it hasn't been
clear as to the cause of this immune system miscue, a new
study from Switzerland suggests that a certain bacterium
or virus may be the culprit. These bacterial infections,
the Swiss study team claims, induce a kind of self-recognition
that may contribute to some autoimmune diseases such as
MS and Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). MS Neighborhood. 07/08/05. (Also see: Guillain-Barre) |
| MS
Susceptibility: Scientists Identify the Gene Responsible. Researchers
in Sweden found a common risk factor for not only MS, but
also ailments like heart disease and rheumatism. This risk
factor is a gene that links autoimmune diseases like MS to
cardiovascular diseases, the first time such a gene has been
identified, say the scientists. MS Neighborhood. 06/10/05.
(Also see: Cardiac
Involvement) |
| Vitamin
D and calcium deficits predispose for multiple chronic
diseases. In addition to skeletal disorders, calcium
and vitamin D deficits increase the risk of malignancies,
particularly of colon, breast and prostate gland, of chronic
inflammatory and autoimmune diseases (e.g. insulin-dependent
diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), multiple
sclerosis), as well as of metabolic disorders (metabolic
syndrome, hypertension). PubMed. Eur J Clin Invest. 2005 May;35(5):290-304. (Also
see: Diabetes and IBD) |
| Asbestos
Exposure Might be MS Risk Factor. By demonstrating an
association between asbestos exposure and measures of autoimmune
responses, this study supports and augments other existing
evidence that asbestos is an agent of systemic autoimmunity. MS
Neighborhood. 04/22/05. |
| Deadly
Disease Linked to Lack of Sunlight-Generated Vitamin D. Two
recent scientific studies published or announced within the
past two weeks point to the benefit of sun exposure. The
studies have linked a lack of exposure to Vitamin D, which
is created naturally by sunshine or artificial ultraviolet
light, as a significantly increased risk factor for developing
multiple sclerosis. Newswise 01/28/04. |
| Genetic
Variant May Explain Why Women Develop Multiple Sclerosis
More Than Men. The study's lead author, Mayo Clinic neurologist
Brian Weinshenker, M.D. says "If you have a gene that
produces high levels of interferon gamma, it may predispose
you to developing MS. Under this scenario, men get MS less
often because they have a lower frequency of a gene variant
that is related to higher secretion of interferon gamma." ScienceDaily.
01/30/05. |
| Exposure
to Infant Siblings During Early Life and Risk of Multiple
Sclerosis. Higher infant sibling exposure in the first
6 years of life was associated with a reduced risk of MS,
possibly by altering childhood infection patterns and related
immune responses. JAMA. January 26, 2005;293:463-469. |
| Abnormalities
in Sex Hormones May Contribute to Brain Damage of Multiple
Sclerosis. While the degree of overall brain damage was
similar in the men and women, women tended to have more signs
of inflammation than men. Previous research by the same team
has indicated that there could be a gender difference in
the progression of MS, with men tending to have more progressive
and severe disease. Doctor's Guide. BMJ. 01/18/05. |
| Treatments and Clinical
Trials for Multiple Sclerosis |
| DNA vaccine against multiple sclerosis appears safe, potentially beneficial. A newly developed DNA vaccine appears safe and may produce beneficial changes in the brains and immune systems of individuals with multiple sclerosis. If successful in MS, antigen-specific DNA vaccines can be developed for prevention or treatment of related diseases, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and myasthenia gravis. EurekAlert! 08/13/07. |
| Oral
Fingolimod (FTY720) for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis. In
this proof-of-concept study, fingolimod reduced the number
of lesions detected on MRI and clinical disease activity
in patients with multiple sclerosis. New England Journal
of Medicine.Volume 355:1124-1140. No.11. 09/14/06. |
| Hopes
raised for effectiveness of multiple sclerosis drug. Discovery
of the mechanism of a drug being tested for the treatment
of multiple sclerosis has revealed that it's not only more
effective than first thought, but might also help in the
management of other Autoimmune diseases, organ transplant
rejection and even cancer. EurekAlert 03/28/06. |
| Psychological
interventions for multiple sclerosis (MS). The diversity
of psychological interventions identified indicates the many
ways in which they can potentially help people with MS. There
is reasonable evidence that cognitive behavioural approaches
are beneficial in the treatment of depression, and in helping
people adjust to, and cope with MS. The Cochrane Database
of Systematic Reviews 2006 Issue 1. |
| Experimental
MS Drug Moves Forward in Clinical Trials. FTY720, manufactured
by Novartis, demonstrated positive results in a Phase 2 trial,
whose findings were released at a medical conference overseas
earlier this month. MS Neighborhood. 10/21/05. |
| Search
for new multiple sclerosis drug. UT Southwestern Medical
Center is the lead research site testing a new treatment
for a rare form of multiple sclerosis. "Rituxan works
on a component of the immune system called B-cells," Dr.
Hawker said. "The drug depletes B-cells and has been
used to treat other autoimmune diseases such as lupus." News-Medical.Net
04/26/05. |
| Weight
Training Gives MS Patients Physical, Emotional Benefits. Lifting
weights can improve muscle strength and quality of life for
people afflicted with the degenerative disease multiple sclerosis,
a new University of Florida study finds. The study, published
in the December issue of the journal Multiple Sclerosis,
showed that after eight weeks of supervised resistance training
on conventional gym equipment, eight MS patients had stronger
muscles, could walk better, and reported less overall fatigue
and disability. Newswise. 01/13/05. |
| Multiple Sclerosis
Research |
| Glucosamine-like dietary supplement suppresses autoimmune response in multiple sclerosis and type-1 diabetes mellitus. A glucosamine-like dietary supplement has been found to suppress the damaging autoimmune response seen in multiple sclerosis and type-1 diabetes mellitus, according to Univerisity of California, Irvine health sciences researchers. News-Medical Net. 05/16/07. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: T cells and Diabetes) |
| Effects
of Glatiramer Acetate (GA) and Interferon-ß on Neurodegeneration
in a Model of Multiple Sclerosis. Although early GA or
IFN-ß-1b treatment showed benefit on disease activity,
only treatment with GA exerted protective effects on retinal
ganglion cells. American Journal of Pathology. 2006;169:1353-1364. |
| Investigational
MS Medicine Targets Immune Regulators. A drug that targets
compounds that direct the movement of damage-causing immune
cells in the central nervous system is about to be scrutinized
in a new clinical trial. Additional studies to test the effectiveness
of the drug in atherosclerosis and a tissue disease known
as scleroderma are also being planned. MS Neighborhood.
07/22/05. |
| Non-Invasive
MS Test Proposed. Doctors in a new preliminary study
are proposing a non-invasive way to measure disease activity
in people with multiple sclerosis. They contend that tests
to determine the presence of MS can be just as effective
by collecting samples of saliva as they are collecting samples
of cerebrospinal fluid (as in a spinal tap). MS Neighborhood.
06/24/05. |
| Steroids
and brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis. It appears that
chronic low-dose treatment with corticosteroids may contribute
to irreversible loss of brain tissue in a variety of autoimmune
diseases. Evidence is mounting that high-dose corticosteroids
may induce reversible short-term brain volume changes. Further
longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate pathogenetic
mechanisms contributing to brain volume fluctuations in autoimmune
diseases and multiple sclerosis. PubMed. J Neurol Sci.
2005 May 5. (Also see: Brain
Involvement and Medications) |
| Research: Causes of
Multiple Sclerosis |
| Molecule
linked to autoimmune disease relapses identified at Stanford. The
study lays the groundwork for a way to determine when a relapse
is about to occur, and could eventually lead to a treatment
to prevent relapses. SpiritIndia.com. Dec 06. (Also see: B
and T cells and Autoimmunity) |
| Neurons
In CNS Can Regulate Immune System And Suppress Inflammatory
Conditions Of CNS. The neurons in the central nervous
system (CNS) are reported to have a previously unknown ability
to regulate the immune system and suppress inflammatory conditions
of the CNS. This pioneering discovery paves the way for future
therapeutic targets for inflammatory and degenerative diseases
of CNS like multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. Medical
News Today. 04/27/06. |
| Evidence
that Pregnancy Specific Glycoproteins Regulate T-Cell Function
and Inflammatory Autoimmune Disease During Pregnancy. The
capacity of the pregnancy state to regulate T-cell function
is well documented. A consequence of this regulation is that
many T-cell mediated autoimmune disorders, including multiple
sclerosis (MS) are suppressed during pregnancy. The regulation
of T-cell function during pregnancy is likely the result
of significant hormonal changes and may well involve immunoregulatory
proteins derived from the placenta. PubMed. Curr Drug
Targets Inflamm Allergy. 2005 Apr;4(2):231-7. (Also see: Pregnancy
and Scleroderma and Causes
of Scleroderma: T Cells) |
| Personal Stories
About Multiple Sclerosis or Difficult Diagnosis |
| Autoimmune diseases such as multiple
sclerosis, lupus and scleroderma can
be very difficult to properly diagnose, particularly in the
early stages of illness. Many of these stories regard onset
of scleroderma during which time MS was considered as a possible
diagnosis. (Also see: Difficult
Diagnosis) |
| Boo:
CREST Scleroderma Finally in 1994, it was labeled
as CREST syndrome, which is a form of systemic scleroderma... |
| Beverly:
CREST Scleroderma I was overtired and needed naps
in the afternoon, pain was slowly getting the better of me
and I finally went to the doctor... |
| Carla:
CREST Syndrome and Fibromyalgia When I read some of
these stories, they scare the devil out of me. Is this really
that bad?... |
| Cindy
Fuchs-Morrissey: Mother of a Progressive Systemic Sclerosis
Child Hilary has an aggressive form of scleroderma
with swallowing problems, bowel problems, fatigue, acral
bone dysplasia of the hands and feet... |
| Debbie:
CREST Here's a copy
of a letter I sent to my rheumatologist.... |
| Kathi:
Scleroderma/Lupus I am forty-three years old and have
not been feeling well for ten years... |
| Krisha
S: Multiple Autoimmune Condition I have multiple sclerosis
(MS), fibromyalgia, and Stiff Person Syndrome... |
| Lisa
W: Diffuse Scleroderma, CREST and Multiple Sclerosis I
was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). That
also took over a year to diagnose. My doctors tell me that
I am one out of millions with this case of bad luck... |
| McKenzie:
Scleroderma with CREST I felt numbness crept down
both my legs. I said, "I can't feel my legs!" and
sat down on the floor... |
| Nan:
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and Fibromyalgia Finally
after several years of struggle, one wonderful doctor at
OSU got gutsy and gave me the MCTD diagnosis... |
| Support for Multiple
Sclerosis |
| (U.S.)
National Multiple Sclerosis Society The mission of the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society is to end the devastating
effects of MS. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. |
| Media Stories About
Multiple Sclerosis |
| Parasite
infection may benefit MS patients. Because parasites
inhabit their hosts for long periods of time, they can develop
molecules that generate strong anti-inflammatory responses,
which enhance their survival. Further investigation is warranted
in order to identify which molecules cause immune system
effects that dampen the inflammatory reactions normally seen
in autoimmune diseases. EurekAlert! 01/17/07. |
| No
link between birth order and risk for MS. A genetic predisposition
and other factors - not exposure or lack of exposure to germs
from an older sibling - are more likely behind the onset
of multiple sclerosis. CTV.ca 08/23/05. |
| Promising
Multiple Sclerosis treatments on the way. "Tovaxin
is a fascinating concept," said Dr. Edward Fox, director
of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic of Central Texas in Austin. "It's
basically a way of immunizing yourself against your own bad
blood cells. It's much more a magic bullet." IndiaDaily.
04/13/05. |
