12 May 2009

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MSIF News

Profile of the Month

Research News

MS News

Making Connections

MSIF News


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

Women with MS climbing Everest and 165 events in 51 countries – World MS Day update

There are only two weeks until the first World MS Day on 27 May 2009 and excitement is mounting.

Spring 2009 Du Pré Grant winners announced

MSIF have awarded six Du Pré Grants to enable researchers from Iran, India, UK and USA to travel to work on MS projects in Australia, Canada, France and the USA.

MSIF recruits new Fundraising Manager

We are delighted to announce that Ruth Whitbread has been appointed as our new Fundraising Manager.

MS in focus online survey – take part now!

This Survey is now closed

In case you missed it previously, please help inform the next edition of our biannual magazine, MS in focus, by taking part in our survey about the disease courses (types) of MS.

Profile of the Month


	Summaries of news, views and achievements from people with MS around the world.

Profile of the Month : January 2010

Reni de Boer

Country: Netherlands
Age: 29
Type of MS: relapsing-remitting
Year of Diagnosis: 2004

"I am happy to be acting in MSIF’s awareness raising video for World MS Day and am proud to be playing a part in raising more awareness for the 2 million people worldwide with MS."

English Español Francais Italiano Русский

Research News


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

Greater loss of axons in primary progressive multiple sclerosis plaques compared to secondary progressive disease

The underlying processes in the brain and spinal cord tissue responsible for progression of disability in MS are still unknown. Moreover, it has been suggested that these underlying processes might be different in primary progressive and secondary progressive MS. The authors of this study have investigated the post-mortem nervous tissue coming from the spinal cord of people with PPMS, SPMS and also healthy controls. They found that, despite people with SPMS having more extensive areas of loss of myelin content (demyelination), people with PPMS had higher levels of axonal loss within such areas of demyelination. These findings would suggest that in PPMS axons are more vulnerable to damage in demyelinating lesions. The results of this study give us new insights on the underlying processes explaining progression.

authors: Tallantyre EC, Bø L, Al-Rawashdeh O, Owens T, Polman CH, Lowe J, Evangelou N

source: Brain. 2009 May;132(Pt 5):1190-9

A search for new MRI criteria for dissemination in space in subjects with a clinically isolated syndrome

The diagnosis of MS relies on the demonstration of dissemination in space and time of the inflammatory-demyelinating process which occurs in the brain and the spinal cord of people with this disease. Dissemination in space can be demonstrated either clinically or by MRI, according to highly specific and sensitive, though also highly complex, criteria. These MRI criteria are based on a specific combination of features which are typically seen in MS. The authors of this study aimed to investigate whether other combinations of MRI features could result in a simpler set of MRI criteria to diagnose MS with the same level of accuracy. Unfortunately they failed to find a better and simpler set of MRI criteria to diagnose dissemination in space in MS.

authors: Korteweg T, Tintore M, Uitdehaag BM, Knol DL, Vrenken H, Rovira A, Frederiksen J, Miller DH, Fernando K, Filippi M, Agosta F, Rocca MA, Fazekas F, Enzinger C, Parry A, Polman CH, Montalban X, Barkhof F

source: Eur Radiol. 2009 May 5

Cutting edge: Natalizumab blocks adhesion but not initial contact of human T cells to the blood-brain barrier in vivo in an animal model of multiple sclerosis

Natalizumab is one of the current options for treatment in MS. It is thought that Natalizumab exerts its therapeutic efficacy by blocking the pass of T cells, a specific immune cell which plays a major role in the pathogenesis of MS, through the blood brain barrier, thus preventing these cells reaching the central nervous system. The authors of this study have investigated the immunological effects of Natalizumab in an animal model of MS and have provided for the first time in vivo evidence of this blockage.

authors: Coisne C, Mao W, Engelhardt B

source: J Immunol. 2009 May 15;182(10):5909-13

NORdic trial of oral methylprednisolone as add-on therapy to Interferon beta-1a for treatment of relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (NORMIMS study): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial

In this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial the authors aimed to investigate the efficacy of oral steroids (methylprednisolone) given every 4 weeks and added to subcutaneous interferon beta 1-a (Rebif®). One hundred and thirty people with relapsing-remitting MS participated in this study. The authors found the group of people who received oral steroids added to their IFN treatment achieved a lower relapse rate. However, due to the high number of people who dropped out of the trial the findings of the study need to be corroborated.

authors: Sorensen PS, Mellgren SI, Svenningsson A, Elovaara I, Frederiksen JL, Beiske AG, Myhr KM, Søgaard LV, Olsen IC, Sandberg-Wollheim M

source: Lancet Neurol. 2009 Apr 29

Examination of processing speed deficits in multiple sclerosis using functional magnetic resonance imaging

In people with MS, some degree of impairment in information processing speed may appear throughout the disease, though the mechanisms underlying this are not fully understood. In this study the authors aimed to investigate the cerebral regions that people with MS activate when they have to perform a task specifically designed to test information processing speed, in order to study the neural networks involved in this cognitive function, by means of functional MRI. They compared a group of people with MS with a group of healthy controls. They found that the cerebral regions or neural networks involved in processing speed were different in people with MS and in healthy controls. The importance of the study lies on the fact that this is the first time that the neural networks involved in processing speed are described using functional MRI.

authors: Genova HM, Hillary FG, Wylie G, Rypma B, Deluca J

source: J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2009 May;15(3):383-93

MS News


	Summaries of MS news from websites around the world.

Fast Forward, LLC and Provid Pharmaceuticals announce partnership for development of PV-267, a unique compound intended to redirect the abnormal immune response in MS

source: US National MS Society

Fast Forward, LLC, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s subsidiary devoted to bridging the gap between research and drug development, have announced a partnership to support Provid’s preclinical studies of PV-267.

Waiting for the skies to clear - Everest update

source: www.empowermentthroughadventure.com and www.wendybooker.net

High winds and storms on Mount Everest are currently keeping Wendy Booker and Lori Schneider, the two US climbers with MS, in the valley below base camp.

Positive results of stem cell transplantation to treat MS: study may be key to unlocking a cure

source: UK MS Trust

Positive results of stem cell transplantation to treat MS: study may be key to unlocking a cure.

Mr Lube Canada supports the MS Society of Canada and MS awareness month

source: MS Society of Canada

On 9 May 2009 Mr Lube Canada supported the MS Society of Canada and MS awareness month by donating CA$5 from every oil change purchase across Canada.

Shine on Scotland campaign for MS supported by JK Rowling and MS Society Scotland

source: www.shineonscotland.org.uk

A new campaign to promote vitamin D supplementation in Scotland is supported by the MS Society Scotland and has received endorsement from celebrities including JK Rowling.

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