Making Connections

MSIF News


	Summaries of new MSIF activities, events, projects, programmes, resources, publications and more.

Spanish and German editions of MS in focus 17 now available

MS in focus 17 takes a look at the issue of research and MS. With contributions from scientists in different parts of the world, it aims to present a comprehensive picture of how scientific research is conceptualised and carried out.

Russian editions of MS in focus published

MSIF is delighted to announce the publication of two composite editions of MS in focus in Russian.

Twinning Programme promotes collaborative working

The MSIF Twinning Programme, launched in 2009, has facilitated collaborative working between MS societies in Cuba, India, Spain and the USA.

Help us in the fight against MS

MSIF is the only global MS movement bringing together organisations in over 80 countries in the worldwide fight against MS.

At the forefront of our fight is research, which helps us understand MS and its many different forms, and will ultimately lead towards a cure.

Research News


	Summaries of all the latest research findings on MS selected by a team based at the Institute of Neurology, London.

Increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis in women in Northern Finland

The authors evaluated the incidence and prevalence of MS in Northern Ostrobothnia by means of a retrospective cohort study covering the period 1992-2007 and found, using the older Poser criteria and McDonald 2001 criteria to define disease, that the incidence showed a tendency to increase over the 16-year period due, primarily, to rising female incidence. The authors propose environmental factors such as vitamin D deficiency as possible mechanisms. However the results seem to agree with other reports over the past decade that also suggest a rise in MS incidence, which is observed mainly amongst women, and which may point towards a sex-linked environmental factor playing a role.

authors: Krökki O, Bloigu R, Reunanen M, Remes A.

source: Mult Scler. 2011 Feb;17(2):133-8

Prognostic value of cerebrospinal fluid analysis at the time of a first demyelinating event

This paper from France aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the lumbar puncture result for early conversion (median follow up 3.5 years) to clinically definite MS from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). The authors found that age at onset, spatial dissemination on brain MRI and CSF white blood cell count are independently associated with short-term conversion to CDMS. In particular a white cell count of greater than 4 on initial lumbar puncture seemed to predict conversion independently of the other known predictive factors following multivariate analysis.

authors: Gout O, Bouchareine A, Moulignier A, Deschamps R, Papeix C, Gorochov G, Héran F, Bastuji-Garin S.

source: Mult Scler. 2011 Feb;17(2):164-72.

Natalizumab restores evoked potential abnormalities in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

This paper comparing evoked potential measurements (visual [VEP], somatosensory [SEP] and motor evoked potentials [MEP] in 44 patients with MS, 1 year prior to treatment with natalizumab and after 6-12 month follow up found that a significant proportion of patients showed improvements in VEPs and SEPs following initiation of treatment but that no similar changes were seen with MEP results. These results support previous findings that natalizumab treatment can improve visual outcomes. The authors suggest that these findings demonstrate that natalizumab can stabilize and improve the functional capability of nervous system conduction and that evoked potentials may be a useful tool for evaluating drug effects but that further prospective analysis is required.

authors: Meuth SG, Bittner S, Seiler C, Göbel K, Wiendl H.

source: Mult Scler. 2011 Feb;17(2):198-203

MS News


	Summaries of MS news from websites around the world.

Free MS medical camp in New Mumbai

source: MSSI

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) Mumbai Chapter held a medical seminar and free medical camp at the Fortis Hiranandani Hospital at Vashi, New Mumbai, on 20 February.

What does MS=? MS Awareness Week in the USA

14-20 March 2011 is MS Awareness Week in the USA.

Introducing the Multiple Sclerosis Georgian Foundation

The Multiple Sclerosis Georgian Foundation (MSGF) was founded in January 2009 by Ketevan Varsimashvili, from Tbilisi, Georgia.

Ketevan (pictured below), whose husband has MS, runs the Foundation from their apartment.

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