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WE HAVE TAKEN THE 432 HEADLINES FROM JUNE 2006, JULY 2006, AUGUST 2006 AND PART OF SEPTEMBER FROM OUR MS HOME PAGE AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERING THEM TO THIS ARCHIVE

PLEASE PARDON OUR CONSTRUCTION....THIS NEW ARCHIVE PAGE WITH IT'S 1,365 HEADLINES WAS JUST COMPLETED 2 DAYS AGO

1,384 HEADLINES ARE BELOW:

Opexa begins trading on NASDAQNEW MS DRUGS:
"Opexa -- formerly called PharmaFrontiers -- has exclusive license from Houston's Baylor College of Medicine for individualized cell therapies and has initiated a Phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate effectiveness in treating MS.

Opexa also holds the exclusive worldwide license from the University of Chicago, through a relationship with Argonne National Laboratory, for patents relating to the use of adult pluripotent stem cells derived from patients' own circulating blood...."

Engineered Immune Cells Beat Back Cancer

Engineered Immune Cells Beat Back Cancer...Scientific American
"....Now scientists have transformed immune cells into cancer fighters outside the body--and prompted complete remission in two subjects when those cells were reintroduced.

Immune cells such as lymphocytes, also known as T cells and pictured in blue above, recognize health threats via special receptors on the cell surface. Steven Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute and his colleagues first cloned the genes governing the cancer-recognizing receptor in immune cells from a patient who had successfully beaten back melanoma....... "

MS Bike Tour

PERSEVERANCE=A Real Hero: Lauren Zaccaro...working on a NASA project: "...Young, attractive, fit and a successful engineer, Lauren Zaccaro hardly fits the typical description of a woman living with chronic illness. The five-foot, seven-inch blonde looks more like a competitive athlete.... 'Although initially I was somewhat shocked at the diagnosis, I'm thankful that I'm not facing something even worse,' said Zaccaro, who is currently working on a NASA project to remove water and carbon dioxide from the air while maintaining proper cabin pressure and temperature for astronauts in space on a future space vehicle. 'I feel fortunate. The effects of multiple sclerosis aren't keeping me from pursuing my dreams or keeping me from enjoying my favorite activities......'"

’A Million Reasons’ to fight for the disabled:

PERSEVERANCE=Real Heros:
Author Alan Labonte is celebrating the release of his new book, "A Million Reasons." Labonte was diagnosed with MS in 1991 and subsequently fired from his job [CLICK FOR MORE]:
NEW BOOK...."Alan Labonte lives a good life. He has a nice home on Border Street, a loving wife, Lora, and a good job as a member of the faculty at Boston University. But there was a time not too long ago when Labonte found it a struggle to keep a positive outlook on life. After relocating his family to Cohasset from the western part of the state to take on a new job at the law firm of Hutchins & Wheeler, doctors informed him he had contracted MS. He was fired from his job just six months later.

Today, he is happy to be able to share his story with others, through his newly released book, 'A Million Reasons,' published by Cohasset-based publishers Hot House Press.

Labonte is able to share his story with others for one reason: he turned down a $3 million settlement offered by Hutchins & Wheeler. By accepting, he would have also been agreeing to a non-disclosure clause, which would have prevented him from telling his story. Instead, he chose to take a risk and follow his case through the legal system. 'Im sure they couldnt believe it,' said Labonte about turning down the money....."

MS in Focus Magazine

FREE DOWNLOAD: MS in Focus Magazine [available in English, Spanish]
"Issue 8 - Genetics and hereditary aspects of MS.....This issue of MS in focus features articles from the world's most renowned MS genetic scientists, who provide a complete picture of what we know about MS and genetics and what the future holds in this field. Articles comprehensively outline why genetics is important when researching MS, how knowledge about the genetics of MS is being gathered around the world, what remains to be learned, and what this knowledge means to people with MS and their families"

Today Montel will meet people who share his personal battle with MS

"Montel Williams: Today Montel will meet people who share his personal battle with MS.

"Alecia Harris: Multiple Sclerosis Will Not Defeat Me":

PERSEVERANCE=Real Heros: "Alecia Harris is a fighter and will continue to fight as long as MS is her opponent.
Diagnosed with MS in 2001 at the height of her career, Harris changed career paths and made it her point to spread the word about MS and getting tested early.....

"Patient information on cognitive symptoms in multiple sclerosis - acceptability in relation to disease duration.":

Patient information on cognitive symptoms in MS - acceptability in relation to disease duration
[Abstract: National Library of Medicine]
".....Conclusion - Information on cognitive deficits does not increase fears even in recently diagnosed MS patients. Patients with perceived deficits found the information more relevant than others and also less familiar. Thus, it seems appropriate to offer information about cognitive impairments to MS patients."

"Loss of interhemispheric inhibition in patients with multiple sclerosis is related to corpus callosum atrophy.":

Loss of interhemispheric inhibition in patients with MS is related to corpus callosum atrophy
[Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, The John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.]
"....Interhemispheric physiological inhibition thus is impaired in patients with MS, potentially contributing to impairment of motor control. This work suggests one way in which FMRI monitoring of the transcallosal interactions in motor cortex could become a tool for evaluation of therapies that may enhance function in reversibly impaired pathways.

MRI findings in benign multiple sclerosis are variable

MRI findings in benign multiple sclerosis are variable - Dept. of Neurology, Mayo Clinic,
[Abstract: Pub Med]

Innate Immunity in Multiple Sclerosis: Myeloid Dendritic Cells in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Are Activated and Drive a Proinflammatory Immune Response:

Innate Immunity in MS: Myeloid Dendritic Cells in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Are Activated and Drive a Proinflammatory Immune Response
[Karni et al. 177 (6): 4196 -- The Journal of Immunology]
"......These results demonstrate abnormalities of DCs in MS and may explain the immunologic basis for the different stages and clinical patterns of MS."

Prognostic Factors for Early Severity in a Childhood Multiple Sclerosis Cohort:

Prognostic Factors for Early Severity in a Childhood MS Cohort
[Mikaeloff et al. 118 (3): 1133 -- Pediatrics]
".....CONCLUSIONS. The clinical and MRI prognostic factors for early severity that were identified were used as the basis of a predictive tool, which will be validated in another cohort. This tool should make it possible to identify subgroups at risk of early severe disease and should facilitate therapeutic studies"

Heterogeneity at the HLA-DRB1 locus and risk for MS:


".....These results contribute substantially to our understanding of the DRB1 locus and MS, and underscore the importance of using large sample sizes to detect modest genetic effects, particularly in studies of genotype–phenotype relationships."

10 VITAL SIGNS YOUR DOCTOR MIGHT MISS:

10 VITAL SIGNS YOUR DOCTOR MIGHT MISS ]MS is one of the 10
"SOME MEDICAL CONDITIONS CAN BE MISDIAGNOSED OR COMPLETELY MISSED, SO IT'S VITAL TO KNOW ABOUT MORE UNUSUAL SYMPTOMS...."

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Atlas of MS Database [click for more]
The Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) has launched the Atlas of MS a searchable database of information on the epidemiology of multiple sclerosis – who gets MS – as well as treatment access and resources available to people with MS within a particular country, region, or worldwide. There is no charge to use the Atlas.

Data are organized into six categories: epidemiology, services and support, diagnosis, management, treatment, and quality of life. Users can choose a category and region to search for available information. For example, popular queries are: What is the number of MRI machines in Europe? What is the global availability of travel insurance for people with MS? How many hospital-based interdisciplinary teams are available for people with MS in South America?

The value of the Atlas, states the MSIF, “is in replacing impressions and opinions with facts and figures.” The data in the Atlas of MS was compiled by the MSIF and the World Health Organization through a survey of MS-related associations, including member societies of the MSIF such as the National MS Society (USA). Information will be added as it becomes available, and the whole database will be updated every four years. This is a valuable resource for anyone interested in many aspects of multiple sclerosis.

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NEW BOOK: "The young person's guide to MS provides information to 10-15 year olds with a parent with MS
The book was written by Kerry Mutch, an MS specialist nurse in Liverpool, who says: 'It can be very lonely for teenagers who have a parent with MS. One of the aims of the book is to help young people explore their feelings about MS and how it affects them, as well as making them realise that they are not alone in the feelings that they may be experiencing at this challenging time of their lives.' This book has been produced with the help of young people who know what it is like to have a parent with MS and who share their experiences, worries and emotions about living with MS in their family....It is split into two sections....."

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY: "Alzheimer's PredictorTwo complementary brain scans can pick up Alzheimer's before it happens.By Brad KlozaSeptember 19, 2006 | Mind & Brain


"Whether it's misplacing your keys or forgetting a phone number, lots of people wonder when simple lapses in memory might be an early sign of Alzheimer's. Now researchers are working on software that might help predict who's really at risk.

New York University brain researchers Susan De Santi and Lisa Mosconi are part of a team developing software that they say will help tell the difference between a person who's just getting old and one who's on the road to Alzheimer's. The software combines information from two different types of brain scans: MRI and PET.

The software takes advantage of the strengths of these two types of brain scans, and each helps mitigate areas where the other is weak. MRI, for instance, is a very good tool to study the inner makeup of the brain and to pinpoint precise locations. PET is much less precise, but does a good job of showing where the brain is using sugar, the energy source of living cells. Plunges in energy use could signal decline in brain function, and the researchers decided to focus on the hippocampus, a part of the brain known to be affected in Alzheimer's.

"What we are trying to do is to find a measure that would predict decline from normal aging to Alzheimer's disease," says Mosconi. "And it looks like the hippocampus is particularly involved in early Alzheimer's disease..."

CLICK:(Liverpool) Tysabri...New MS drug on licensing fast track [CLICK for Full Article]
A NEW drug to treat multiple sclerosis has been accepted for a fast-track assessment process by the Government's health watchdog "New MS drug on licensing fast track"

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[MS Weber-postdoctoral fellow at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
".... Statins can prevent and even reverse ongoing paralysis in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis-the mouse model for multiple sclerosis-and on the basis of these findings, statins are now being tested in patients with multiple sclerosis in clinical trials."

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"....Here, we review current knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of MS and corresponding animal models of disease, and discuss new immunointerventional treatment strategies based on changing pathogenetic concepts..."

CLICK HERE "....Now scientists have transformed immune cells into cancer fighters outside the body--and prompted complete remission in two subjects when those cells were reintroduced.

Immune cells such as lymphocytes, also known as T cells and pictured in blue above, recognize health threats via special receptors on the cell surface. Steven Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute and his colleagues first cloned the genes governing the cancer-recognizing receptor in immune cells from a patient who had successfully beaten back melanoma....... "

href="http://memphis.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/02/27/focus8.html">CLICKNEW DRUG IN THE PIPELINE FOR MS: Daclizumab for the treatment of MS:
"It's easy to understand the $800 million alliance forged between PDL Biopharma and Biogen Idec in August. The deal answers Biogen's pipeline needs and provides PDL a kindred biotech with experience in MS and cancer...The deal calls for PDL and Biogen to jointly develop, manufacture and sell three antibody products in mid-stage clinical trials. This includes PDL's drug Daclizumab for the treatment of MS......"

CLICK: "Scientists warn of 'unproven stem cell treatments'"

MS: Scientists warn that some stem cell treatments could kill:
"A group of leading British scientists warned patients today to be wary of 'extravagant' claims made for 'unorthodox' stem cell treatments offered abroad....."In the case of these unorthodox 'stem-cell' treatments, the protocols and results have not been published or subject to independent review.

"Although scientists are making great strides in stem-cell science, there is no published evidence to support claims that stem cells can safely repair tissue damage caused by MS. "Indeed, there is concern that these unproven treatments could be dangerous, potentially exposing patients to the risk of uncontrolled and inappropriate tissue generation."...."

CLICK: "Genentech and Biogen Idec Announce Positive Results From a Phase 2 Trial of Rituxan in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis"

Genentech and Biogen Idec Announce Positive Results From a Phase 2 Trial of Rituxan in Relapsing-Remitting Ms
"Genentech, Inc. and Biogen Idec, Inc. announced today that a phase 2 study of Rituxan(R) (Rituximab) for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) met its primary endpoint. The study of 104 patients showed a statistically significant reduction in the total number of gadolinium enhancing T1 lesions observed on serial MRI scans of the brain at weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24 in the Rituxan-treated group compared to placebo. Genentech and Biogen Idec will continue to analyze the study results and will submit the data for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting.

This phase 2 randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, multi-center study was designed to evaluate safety and efficacy of Rituxan in adults with RRMS. A total of 104 patients at 48 sites in the U.S. and Canada were randomized to receive either a single treatment course of Rituxan or placebo. Gadolinium-enhancing lesions visible by MRI scans were assessed at 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks. Patients will continue to be followed for 48 weeks.

"These initial results exceeded our expectations," said Hal Barron, MD, Genentech senior vice president, development and chief medical officer. "Showing a significant benefit at 24 weeks in this small phase 2 trial supports our hypothesis that selective B-cell targeted therapy may play an important role in the treatment of MS."

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‘Jeremy's Juggernauts' do battle with MS: "As long as researchers keep working on a cure for MS, the Kohlers of Barnhart plan to continue to take part in fund-raising events to battle the disease......"

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MS: Disproving the myths of disability - Mayo Clinic
"....The power of positive thinking.....Your attitude toward yourself is reflected back to you from those around you,' Holtackers says. 'Every day, challenge yourself to deal positively with negative circumstances. When you project a positive attitude, those around you tend to become more positive, too.....'"

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"Roles of immunoglobulins and B cells in MS: From pathogenesis to treatment":
[Abstract: Pub Med]

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Risk factors for falling among people aged 45 to 90 years with MS:
[Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois]
"CONCLUSIONS: There are a number of factors associated with an increased risk of falling among people aging with MS that are amenable to intervention and therefore warrant the attention of health care providers serving that population."

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Utility of the National Eye Institute VFQ-25 Questionnaire in a Heterogeneous Group of Multiple Sclerosis Patients:
[Abstract: National Library of Medicine]
"CONCLUSIONS: The VFQ-25 questionnaire is a sensitive and useful tool in assessing visual function in MS patients. Such patients have quality of life indices similar to glaucoma and cataract patients, underscoring the significance of visual symptoms in MS."

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NBC VIDEO: "New Hope For MS Patients"..[CLICK TO WATCH
"Recent studies suggest exercise, like chair aerobics, can help patients with MS regain balance and strength. So, they're pairing MS with physical therapists and fitness trainers...Joanna Lee believes she's proof that exercise helps. Lee says her MS symptoms have improved, since joining exercise classes ..."I'm not tired. I feel like I'm more flexible. I still feel tight and stiff, but it's more flexible," said Lee.

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'Invisible' Brain Changes May Be Key to MS Progression - Yahoo! News: "New research suggests that subtle, undetected changes in brain tissue affect disease progression for people with MS...."

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Millennium Announces Phase I Trial of MLN0415 for MS:
"Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase
I study of MLN0415, an oral, highly selective, small molecule inhibitor of
IKK2, which targets a major inflammatory pathway...."

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"I Was Betrayed By Stem Cell Claims":
A MS patient yesterday warned fellow patients against a UK-registered company which promised to treat him with "pioneering" stem cell treatment. Malcolm Pear handed over pounds 14,000 after reading testimonials on the Advanced Cell Therapeutics (ACT) website, which claims it can reduce the symptoms of a range of diseases from MS and Parkinson's to HIV.

Moments after undergoing the procedure in Europe, Malcolm Pear, 51, says he was able to walk unaided, despite having to previously rely on elbow crutches to move.

After returning to the UK, his wife Lesley spent hours on the phone promoting the treatment to hundreds of callers who inquired about its benefits.

But three months after stem cells from discarded umbilical cords were injected into his spine, the health of the former Bromsgrove chartered accountant deteriorated sharply. The Pears then found it impossible to contact ACT and the only correspondence they received were emails offering expensive top-up treatments....

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Teri Garr talks about everything from her leaking roof to her fight to educate people that MS doesn't mean wheelchairs anymore!

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PERSEVERANCE=Real Heros: Christin Harding's Ride of a Lifetime: Life's Pleasures: "This is a story of dedication above all else. Christin Harding was diagnosed with MS 13 years ago. T was Christin's catalyst to live each day like it was her last. She says, in a way, this disease was a blessing in disguise....13 years later, there's still no wheelchair...."

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"MAYO CLINIC: Marijuana as medicine: Consider the pros and cons"
"Whether marijuana will relieve your side effects or symptoms is questionable. But the risks of smoking pot are clear. Examine the facts about marijuana before making your decision

People have used marijuana as a medical treatment for thousands of years. Such uses extend even to modern America. Marijuana was listed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia, the organization that sets quality standards for approved drugs in the United States, until the 1940s, when political pressure against marijuana's recreational use triggered its removal.

Despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that state laws allowing medicinal use of marijuana must bow to federal law banning it, proponents still tout this controversial plant's ability to treat pain, nausea and other uncomfortable side effects of medical treatment as well as some disease symptoms.

Marijuana 101: The plant and its components-----
Marijuana refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant. These parts contain the compounds that produce the mind-altering effect that recreational users seek when smoking or ingesting the plant — but they also provide components with potential medical benefits.

Marijuana contains at least 60 chemicals called cannabinoids. Researchers are evaluating how effective some of these cannabinoids might be in controlling symptoms of certain medical conditions. For example:

THC....An abbreviation for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC is the main component responsible for marijuana's mind-altering effect. It also may help treat signs and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that are associated with a number of medical conditions.

Cannabinol and cannabidiol....These compounds have some of the properties of THC, but cause less psychoactive effects — the high.

Dronabinol (Marinol)....Dronabinol (dro-NAB-in-ol) is a man-made version of THC available by prescription. It's used to prevent nausea and vomiting after cancer chemotherapy when other medicines for these side effects don't work, and to increase appetite in people with AIDS.

How it works-----
When smoked or ingested, THC and other cannabinoids in marijuana attach to two types of receptors on cells in your body — like keys in a lock — affecting the cells, once attached.

CB1 is one such receptor. CB1 receptors are found mainly in your brain, especially in areas that control body movement, memory and vomiting. This helps explain why marijuana use affects balance and coordination and impairs short-term memory and learning, and why it can be useful in treating nausea, pain and loss of appetite.

The other type of receptor, CB2, is found in small numbers elsewhere in your body, mainly in tissue of the immune system, such as your spleen and lymph nodes. The function of these receptors is not well understood. They may serve as brakes on immune system function, which may help explain why marijuana suppresses your immune system.

After you smoke marijuana, its ingredients reach their peak levels in your body within minutes, and effects can last up to an hour and a half. When eaten — the plant is sometimes mixed with food — the ingredients can take several hours to reach their peak levels in your body, and their effects may last for hours.

The prescription drug dronabinol, which is taken as an oral capsule, takes effect in about 30 minutes and can continue to stimulate appetite for more than a day.

Possible medical uses----
Scientists studying marijuana's potential medical uses have found that it may help treat a variety of conditions.

Nausea----
One of THC's medical uses best supported by research is the treatment of nausea. It can improve mild to moderate nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and help reduce nausea and weight loss in people with AIDS.

Younger people may find marijuana more useful as a treatment for nausea than do older people — who may not tolerate its mind-altering side effects ..."

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Profile of a newsmaker Doctor to ride for employee at MS 150 tour

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Multiple sclerosis damage found in 'normal' brain tissue: "
The effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) extend beyond visibly affected areas into large portions of the brain that outwardly appear normal, according to a study appearing in the September issue of Radiology......"

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"Experts Speak Out - Side Effect Considerations with Disease-Modifying Therapies" [CONTINUING EDUCATION-Interactive Flash Program for Medical Professionals]
Purpose...To review the latest information on the side effects associated with the available disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) used to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and to offer strategies for their management.

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10 Questions for Meredith Vieira :
"....On Sept. 13 the veteran journalist and mother of three takes a seat opposite Matt Lauer as the new co-anchor of NBC's Today show. She talked with TIME's Jeff Chu about how her husband's battles with cancer and MS have changed her, ..."

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Teen InsideMS - Online version or PDF

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Interferon treatment may trigger primary headaches in MS patients
[Abstract-MS Center, C. Besta National Neurological Institute, Milan,, Italy]
"....Worsening of pre-existing headaches or development of de novo headache occurred only in the interferon-group (41 and 48%, respectively) and not in the other group (P<0.001). These results show that headache should be considered among the side-effects of interferon in MS patients."

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Genentech, Biogen say cancer drug helps against MS:
"Biotechnology companies Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. on Monday said their cancer drug Rituxan showed hints of effectiveness against MS in a small mid-stage trial. "These initial results exceeded our expectations," Hal Barron, Genentech's chief medical officer, said in a statement.

The study involved 104 adults in the United States and Canada with the most common form of multiple sclerosis, in which flare-ups of symptoms are followed by full or partial recovery between attacks. They were given either a single treatment course of Rituxan, or a placebo.

It showed a statistically significant reduction among those given Rituxan in the total number of brain lesions seen on MRI scans at weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24, compared with those receiving placebo.

Rituxan, an antibody which is one of the biggest-selling treatments against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, works by blocking immune-system B cells.

"Showing a significant benefit at 24 weeks in this small Phase II trial supports our hypothesis that selective B-cell targeted therapy may play an important role in the treatment of MS."

Rates of side effects were comparable in those taking Rituxan and those taking placebos, the companies said...."

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PERSEVERANCE=Real Heros: Despite having Multiple Sclerosis, Jacob Bell is still able to play with his two-year-old daughter, Mackenzie....click for full article
Bell is an MS Ambassador, and is doing what he can to raise awareness of the disease...

The Manila Times Internet Edition | WEEKEND >CLICK

"...In the Philippines, an estimated 8,400 suffer from the disease. Small number, considering that 300,000 people are affected by MS in the United States alone, and even more in Europe.....celebrities in entertainment, television, sports, journalism and public service came together on August 16 to raise funds for the MS Society by selling some of their possessions in a bazaar. Dubbed “Celebrity Clean House,”....."

CLICKFamily focuses on fitness, giving back

CLICKPERSEVERANCE=Real Heros: MS doesn’t slow Liz Hanser - girls’ coach

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Hum Brain Mapp. 2006 Aug 24; [Epub ahead of print]...[Abstract: National Center for Biotechnology Information]
"If fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) is related to an abnormal activation of the sensorimotor brain network, the activity of such a network should vary with varying fatigue. We studied 22 patients treated with interferon beta 1a (IFNbeta-1a; Avonex, Biogen....

MS Society honorees are true champs:

"it's no wonder that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society wanted to honor Brad Alford and Dr. John Forestner at its annual Dinner of Champions fundraising even...":

"MS Harborfest hopes to raise $130K":

"MS Tour for Cure rolls again in October":

New Orleans MS Tour for Cure rolls again after being cancelled last year due to Hurricane Katrina
The ride has had as many as 1,800 cyclists and has raised as much as $800,000 for the Louisiana MS Chapter.....

"Hacker' putts in thousands to benefit MS chapter's work":

Trial Results Published in Neurology Show Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis Significantly Reduced with Interferon Beta-1b Early Treatment:

Caraco gets FDA OK for generic multiple sclerosis drug:

Pharmaceutical Business Review: "The FDA has granted final approval for Caraco Pharmaceutical's baclofen tablets, the company's generic version of Novartis' Lioresal, a muscle relaxant used for the alleviation of signs and symptoms of spasticity resulting from MS..."

Schering says drug helps fight MS:

German drug maker Schering said in a statement on Thursday research showed that its key drug works in tackling MS. The study, published in medical journal Neurology, shows that the group's drug Betaseron, if taken early, can cut the chances of the disease developing by half. It also shows that the drug doubled a patient's chances of avoiding the disease developing compared to patients in the study who only took a placebo....."

Caregiver fleeces three clients:

"A Jackson woman who was a caregiver for three women with MS ended up being more of a taker. Kerri Lynn Clark, 20, was sentenced Wednesday to 90 days in jail. She pleaded guilty to using a credit card without consent....."

Trial Results Published in Neurology Show Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis Significantly Reduced with Interferon Beta-1b Early Treatment

BETASERON: Trial Results Published in Neurology Show Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis Significantly Reduced with Interferon Beta-1b Early Treatment
"Researchers have found that treatment of patients with interferon beta-1b after a first attack suggestive of MS cuts their risk of developing the disease in half over the next two years, according to results from the BENEFIT (BEtaferon(R)/BEtaseron(R) in Newly Emerging MS for Initial Treatment) clinical trial.....

Tysabri Recovery Plan:

Tysabri Recovery Plan
"....In an interview with this magazine last year, the late Donal Geaney wouldn't comment on Elan except to say how proud he was of what it had achieved. Having just settled an unfair dismissal case with his former employers, raking up old roots didn't interest him. Geaney had stood down from Elan three years previously, following a crash in the company's share price....."

Immunopathogenesis and immunotherapy of MS

Nat Clin Pract Neurol. 2006
"....Here, we review current knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of MS and corresponding animal models of disease, and discuss new immunointerventional treatment strategies based on changing pathogenetic concepts..."

MRI changes in relapsing-remitting MS patients complaining of fatigue after IFNbeta-1a injection
Hum Brain Mapp. 2006 Aug 24; [Epub ahead of print]...[Abstract: National Center for Biotechnology Information]
"If fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) is related to an abnormal activation of the sensorimotor brain network, the activity of such a network should vary with varying fatigue. We studied 22 patients treated with interferon beta 1a (IFNbeta-1a; Avonex, Biogen....

"Denver's shining stars for MS are the real thing":...[CLICK HERE]

The Manila Times Internet Edition | WEEKEND > The Celebrity Clean House Bazaar: Where the stars shine down on MS patients


"...In the Philippines, an estimated 8,400 suffer from the disease. Small number, considering that 300,000 people are affected by MS in the United States alone, and even more in Europe.....celebrities in entertainment, television, sports, journalism and public service came together on August 16 to raise funds for the MS Society by selling some of their possessions in a bazaar. Dubbed “Celebrity Clean House,”....."

Botox Soothes Overactive Bladder
[ABSTRACT: CME Teaching Brief - MedPage Today]
"....Botox (botulinum toxin type A) injected directly into the bladder's detrusor muscle at 30 different sites not only tamed an overactive organ but kept the bladder calm for almost a year, according to Swiss researchers.

Unlike Botox treatments in other muscular disorders or for cosmetic repair, where injections must be repeated at frequent intervals, one injection could provide a long-term cure, Daniel Schmid Jr., M.D., of the University of Zurich reported at the American Urological Association meeting here.

"We were very surprised that we didn't have to re-inject these people after three months or six months," Dr. Schmid said.

Nine months after the initial treatment, 82% of 150 patients, refractory to anticholinergics, who were treated with Botox, were continent, a statistically significant improvement (P<.001 level), Dr. Schmid said. "We can now say that the mean effectiveness of one series of injections is 11 months," he added....At 11 months, 43% of the patients did not require any further treatment, while 23% of the patients have required re-injections. Thirty-one percent of patients have been able to control the return of urgency with anticholinergic drugs...."

Harvard Medical: The Skinny on Fat
"It’s especially easy these days to feel that the gurus of health don’t know what they’re talking about. What else would explain the recent results from the large, 8-year-long Women’s Health Initiative study showing that a low fat diet—long a mainstay of government healthy eating recommendations—does almost nothing to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, or colon cancer?....."

ORAL MS MEDS: Biogen Idec To Acquire Fumapharm AG: "...'This acquisition supports our goal of developing innovative therapeutic options for people living with MS,' said James C. Mullen, Biogen Idec's president and chief executive officer. 'We look forward to continuing the development of BG-12, a promising oral compound in MS...."

OUR NEW WEBSITE: "TYSABRI NEWS"....click here

Elan says aims for clarity on Tysabri by June 28
"Speaking at the group's annual general meeting in Dublin, Chief Executive Kelly Martin said he hoped that the group would have more of an idea of the drug's future prospects by June 28."

Increased axonal mitochondrial activity as an adaptation to myelin deficiency in the Shiverer mouse
[Abstract: Wiley InterScience: Journal]
Journal of Neuroscience Research
Volume 83, Issue 8, Date: June 2006, Pages: 1533-1539

Balance and gait improved in patients with MS after physiotherapy based on the Bobath concept:
[Abstract: Wiley InterScience: Journal] "Conclusion: The findings indicate that balance and gait can be improved after physiotherapy based on the Bobath concept, but this should be further evaluated in larger controlled trials of patients with MS "

Natalizumab and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: migrating towards safe adhesion molecule therapy in MS
[Abstract: Doctors Guide]
"This review examines how the inhibition of alpha4beta1-mediated adhesion might establish a unique milieu for the development of PML and how future approaches to selective adhesion molecule therapy in multiple sclerosis might avoid a similar fate."

Plasma cerebrosterol and magnetic resonance imaging measures in MS
[Abstract: National Institutes of Health]..."RESULTS: By multiple-regression analysis, we uncovered negative correlations between the cerebrosterol-cholesterol ratio in plasma and both age at sampling (beta=-0.35 and p=0.079 in RRMS; beta=-0.76 and p=0.006 in PPMS) and volume of T(2)-weighted lesions (beta=-0.52 and p=0.078 in RRMS; beta=-0.50 and p=0.247 in PPMS). CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that decreases in plasma cerebrosterol may reflect the total spatiotemporal burden of MS-the cumulative effects of its dissemination in space and its duration in time"

Marina to host MS fishing tourney in June:
GOOD IDEA FOR OTHER CITIES:"Port Clinton, will host the 17th annual Multiple Sclerosis Fishing Tournament Wednesday, June 14, with more than 100 men and women participating."

"Receptor revision and atypical mutational characteristics in clonally expanded B cells from the cerebrospinal fluid of recently diagnosed MS patients.

"Very early treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) -- before doctors have even confirmed their diagnosis of the nerve disease -- can significantly delay its progression, a Canadian-led study shows":
" Usually, doctors don't start treatment until a person has had two separate attacks, but Dr. Mark Freedman of the University of Ottawa and his colleagues found they could delay the development of the disease by starting people on a drug called interferon beta-1b (brand name Betaseron) after just one episode of symptoms suggestive of MS. Freedman describes the treatment benefits as 'remarkable.' The study involved 468 people who'd had just one MS-like attack, as well as at least two areas of nerve damage visible on a brain scan."

HERO'S = PERSEVERANCE: Golf a lifeline in battle with MS - Tony Johnstone is a Senior PGA Championship player:

HERO'S = PERSEVERANCE: MS won't bench Chris Kieser

Cytokine-Suppressor Gene Protects Mice From MS-Type Damage:
[Abstract: Journal of Neuroimmunology] "The expression of a gene, known as suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 gene (SOCS1), protects oligodendrocytes from the deleterious effects of interferon gamma. This, researchers report in the May 10th issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, may block the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS)...."Our results suggest that stem cells engineered to be resistant to the harmful cytokines present in the extracellular milieu of the breached CNS of MS patients would stand a better chance of surviving and accomplishing remyelination," Dr. Popko concluded."

Early multiple sclerosis treatment has 'remarkable' benefits - Starting drug therapy before a confirmed diagnosis of the nerve disease can delay its progression:
"...Usually, doctors don't start treatment until a person has had two separate attacks, but Dr. Mark Freedman of the University of Ottawa and his colleagues found they could delay the development of the disease by starting people on a drug called interferon beta-1b (brand name Betaseron) after just one episode of symptoms suggestive of MS. Freedman describes the treatment benefits as 'remarkable.'....The study involved 468 people who'd had just one MS-like attack, as well as at least two areas of nerve damage visible on a brain scan...."

TorontoSun.com - Canada - Genetics link to MS disputed:
"Asad Wali jokes that he can't blame his parents anymore now that a new study shows MS may be caused by place of residence during childhood rather than ancestry..."

Elan targets June for Tysabri future:
"Elan is hoping to clarify the future of its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri by the end of June, it confirmed today. Speaking at the group's annual general meeting, Elan's Chief Executive Kelly Martin said he hoped that Elan would have a better idea about the controversial drug's future prospects by June 28. The company is hoping to get the goahead from regulators in June, allowing them to begin relaunching the drug in the third quarter...."

HERO'S - PERSEVERANCE: Dad's MS spurred teen to launch research project & attend Harvard:
"Lev Shaket, 17, who will attend Harvard University this fall, began doing research on MS with scientists at Emory and Georgia State universities three years ago, after learning that his father had the disease...This fall he's heading to Harvard University. His scholarship includes free tuition. But all that's secondary to helping his father. "I just look at it in terms of positive side effects," he said of his father's illness. "That it launched my career and that it made me try to treat [MS] and cure it." The Shaket family includes 17-year-old Lev and parents Alexander and Janna. In 1990, they came to the United States from St. Petersburg (then Leningrad), Russia; Lev was 2 years old. When Lev was an eighth-grader, in 2000, Alexander Shaket was diagnosed with MS. He eventually stopped working at a paper mill.

Immediately after learning of his father's MS, Lev began reading voraciously online about the disease. Soon he was writing e-mails to neurological researchers at Emory, expressing his wish to do research with them. He left out the detail about his fatherYue Feng, an Emory professor with a doctorate in cellular biology, took him under her wing, first curious and then impressed by the ambitious 10th-grader. "He'd come in after 4 o'clock and stay as late as possible," she said."......"

HERO'S - PERSEVERANCE: 'Gina's Giants' Raise Nearly $5,600 for MS

MS Drug Trial Had Shortfalls, U.K. Probe Finds :
"Parexel International Corp., which ran a drug trial in London that left six men with multiple organ failure earlier this year, didn't have a doctor with adequate training screening the patients...."

HERO'S - PERSEVERANCE: Former Miss America contestant 'puts it all in the Lord's hands'

Patients Play Russian Roulette With Health to Pay for Medicines:
MS patients must play 'Russian roulette' with their health as financial pressures force them to gamble on which prescribed drugs to pay for and which to reject.

HERO'S - PERSEVERANCE: "Slugger excels after overcoming adversity:
"Johanna Iwasaki can't help but laugh about it now. Playing her first full year on varsity, she is one of the best hitters in her school's lineup..."

HealthTalk - MS - Treating MS: The Disease and Its Symptoms: "Hear how medications are improving, both to slow long-term progression of MS and manage day-to-day symptoms."
When: June 22, 2006 - 8:30 p.m. Eastern (5:30 p.m. Pacific)
Where: On the phone - On the Internet
George Hutton, M.D. - George Hutton, M.D.
[The site is owned by a Biogen/Avonex - it is very good]

Recently Published Patent Application for detecting MS

Recently Published Patent Application
The invention described in this patent application is a method for treating MS. The method includes giving a patient a combination of substances. The invention is combining CAMPATH with either REBIF, AVONEX, BETASETON, ROFERON, INTRON, PEG-INTRON, or COPAXONE, to treat multiple sclerosis. The patent application gives examples and models to detail that this combination is an effective treatment.

DenverPost.com - Senate sitting on stem-cell act: "During the past year, more than 1.5 million people were diagnosed with diabetes, 55,000 were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and roughly 8,700 were diagnosed with MS. Embryonic stem-cell research may hold the key to one day unlocking a cure for these and many other horrible diseases, but sadly that research has been stymied....."

Tysabri: A RAISE IN IT'S PRICE?: "Chief Executive Kelly Martin said Thursday there is future 'headroom' to raise the price of MS drug Tysabri after its anticipated return to the market in the U.S. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration will make a final decision on Tysabri's re-entry by June 28, and most analysts see it back on the market in the U.S. inthe third quarter of 2006. 'Clearly there's headroom and a business legitimacy for one to raise the price,' Martin told a press briefing after the company's annual general meeting, adding the issue will be discussed with Elan's Tysabri partner Biogen Idec Inc...."

WTOP: Doctor Who Gave NFL players Steroids loses license:
"Shortt also faces a state criminal investigation in the death of a woman who died three days after receiving intravenous hydrogen peroxide to help her MS...."

Cannabinoid trial for progressive MS - MS Society of UK:
"CUPID stands for Cannabinoid Use in Progressive Inflammatory brain Disease. CUPID is a clinical trial which will evaluate whether THC, one of many chemical compounds (cannabinoids) found in the cannabis plant, might slow the development of disability in MS..."

Aaron Solowoniuk of Billy Talent rocks on with MS
"Aaron Solowoniuk is the drummer of the hit band Billy Talent which is recognized around the world for their spirit, attitude and explosive rebel music. Aaron has been with the group from the beginning. He recently posted a letter to fans describing his experiences with MS - you can view the whole letter by clicking above.

"The first song on our first record is called "This Is How It Goes". It's a song about one of Ben's friends who has multiple sclerosis. Today I would like to let you know that I am that friend with MS.

It was November of 1997, I had just started a new job at Daimler Chrysler building the new Intrepid, Concorde and 300M. I was making more money, and I could take off more time to play shows with my band Pezz. Days after starting my new job I got a strange numbness in my legs. I couldn't walk for more than five minutes without having to sit down because of this pain in my legs. I thought it was just because this job was a lot more physically demanding then my last job.

After months of tests I was told that I probably had MS but a full diagnosis couldn't be made until I had another symptom within two years.

In November of 1998 the numbness in my legs was gone but I could make it come back by bending my neck forward. This would also send a feeling of an electrical shock to my feet. Just a couple months later in January of 1999, I suddenly got an awful pain in my left eye. It was like being punched in the eye by a ghost. I went straight to my eye doctor; he told me I had optic neuritis.

When I told this to my neurologist, I found out that it's very common for people with MS and the disease was progressing. He wanted me to start a new type of medicine. I had to self-inject myself three times a week in the arm, thigh, stomach or butt – and do this for the rest of my life.

I practically ran out of the doctor's office and into the stairwell with my girlfriend close behind me. We cried in the stairwell for a while and then went right over to my parents' house. Through all of this madness, I was so lucky to have my girlfriend, who is now my wife and the mother of our amazing daughter, beside me.

Coming to terms with the fact that I had to start giving myself needles forever was really hard. A couple of the side effects really hit me once I started the medication. I fell into a deep depression and started seeing a psychiatrist. I really felt like my life was falling apart. I had always wanted to be a drummer in a rock band but was told I should "take it easy". I remember saying "ya right" in my head: none of my dreams had come true and I now had an incurable disease.

It was really rough for the first year and a half but the new medicine started to work. The MS Society of Canada helped me get all the information and tools to get my life back on track. My symptoms were gone, and when they did come back they were just minor set backs.

We changed the name of the band from Pezz to Billy Talent and continued writing music. We released a four song EP and got a record deal. I quit my job and started playing drums full time.

After recording our first record it was time to go on tour. Our first record took us across Canada five times, America four times, Germany five times, the UK four times and a weekend in Japan. I've also met a lot of my musical heroes and even become friends with a couple of them.

I guess the reason I'm telling you this is because I didn't let something like MS get in the way of me becoming who I was suppose to become.

Please share this story with anyone you think it would help. There are a lot of people young and old that are fighting some sort of disease and thinking that they can't win. You really can win if you believe in yourself."

Aaron"

News Release - "MS risk influenced by childhood environment - MS Society of Canada
Study of children and adults sheds new light on MS - The Multiple Sclerosis Society
of Canada announced findings from a Canadian study that shows the risk of MS may be influenced by place of residence during childhood rather than ancestry. The study results were published in a recent edition of Neuroepidemiology. The study puts into question the belief that MS is a disease targeted primarily at Caucasians or those with ancestral ties to areas north of the equator such as Northern Europe...."

Betaseron: EU says approves Bayer bid for Schering

TYSABRI - Forbes.com:
".....Another study of Tysabri, which included 2,248 patients with either Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid
arthritis, found the risk of developing the PML brain infection wasvery low, according to Dr. William Sandborn of the Mayo Clinic, who led the study. Before the voluntary recall of the drug, threepatients were identified with the infection, and four more
infections were initially reported in post-marketing reviews. Sandborn's analysis, in which his team checked spinal fluid and
blood, found no additional cases among the patients studied, and the four post-marketing cases did not have the infection after
all......."

Neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis: therapeutic strategies and clinical trial design"

[Abstract: Pub Med] SUMMARY: These advances mean that neuroprotection is emerging as a potentially important strategy for preventing disability in multiple sclerosis. It is likely that a range of neuroprotective strategies will be tested alone and in combination in future trials, and that trial design will be refined as experience accumulates.

Antibiotic use and risk of MS - Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
[Abstract: National Institutes of Health] "Some reports suggest that bacteria, including Chlamydophila pneumoniae, could be involved in the etiology of multiple sclerosis. If that is true, persons who used antibiotics active against these bacteria, compared with nonusers, might be at lower risk of multiple sclerosis......In conclusion, use of antibiotics active against C. pneumoniae was not associated with a decreased risk of short-term multiple sclerosis. The observed lower risk of multiple sclerosis for penicillin users needs to be confirmed in other populations."

Possible Method of Action for Copaxone Discovered:
[J Immunol. 2006 Jun 1 - "Therapeutic Induction of Regulatory, Cytotoxic CD8+ T Cells in MS"] ["This is MS"]
"Copaxone, manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals, has long been an alternative for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients that do not want to take any of the interferon-class of medications such as Avonex, Rebif or Betaseron. While its efficacy has been shown in numerous clinical trials, its mode of action has always been somewhat of a mystery.

A new study sheds some light on what Copaxone might actually be doing to accomplish its beneficial effect. While the particulars of the research go far beyond the complexity any of us will care to delve into, or perhaps even understand, the basic finding are as follows:

Copaxone administration elevates a particular type of immune system cell. These cells are of the CD8 class, known as the killer T cells for their ability to destroy infected cells. These killer cells, in the presence of Copaxone, regulate the immune system by killing another type of immune system cell known as CD4 . CD4 cells are usually considered 'helper' cells in that they do not actually kill other cells but 'help' the rest of the immune system in doing so by, among other things, activating and directing the killer cells

Why the killing of CD4 cells by CD8 cells turns out to be a good thing is not quite clear. The immune system is exceedingly complex and any number of theories could be presented, such as that the particular 'helper' cells that are killed were the ones directing the attack on the central nervous system. However, what can be deduced is that Copaxone has some immune-system modulating effect that is generally beneficial to MS patients, and a rising number of at least this particular type of killer cell is not detrimental to an MS patients (at least overall)-- otherwise, Copaxone would have likewise had a negative effect on patients. For so many years, the mantra has been that boosting an MS patient's immune system would be a bad idea... as research continues to unfold the puzzle that is MS, it is become clear that that is not entirely the case."

Early Treatment Favored For MS - An editorial accompanying a published debate:
[Archives of Neurology - consensus paper published by the National MS Society]
An editorial accompanying a published debate on the pros and cons of starting treatment early in the course of multiple sclerosis comes down in favor of early treatment for this potentially devastating disease. This opinion coincides with a consensus paper published by the National MS Society. The April issue of the Archives of Neurology features both sides of this debate on early treatment for MS

The Debate: E. M. Frohman, MD, PhD (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas) and an international panel of coauthors present the following arguments in favor of early treatment in an article titled, "Most Patients with Multiple Sclerosis or a Clinically Isolated Demyelinating Syndrome Should Be Treated at the Time of Diagnosis" (Archive of Neurology 2006;63:614-619):
Most who have MS will develop significant disability over time, and when MS is initially diagnosed, it is impossible to determine whether its course will be disabling or benign (mild course of disease).
Studies show that injury to nerve fibers -- which leads to the progression of disability that can occur in people with MS -- begins early in the course of the disease. Even if a person appears to be doing well, with few clinical relapses, there may be evidence on MRI of tissue damage and loss that is associated with eventual disability.
The approved agents decrease the number and severity of relapses, the number and size of new lesions (areas of damage to nerve-insulating myelin), and progression of disability. These treatments work best early in the course of MS, and do not work as well during progressive stages.

Delaying treatment has been associated with more progression of disability and a larger volume of disease damage as seen on MRI.
The authors conclude that, given that therapies can significantly reduce MS disease activity, then "almost every" patient early in the course of
MS should be offered disease-modifying therapy.

On the other hand, Sean J. Pittock, MD, and colleagues (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN) cite the reasons for delaying treatment until the course of MS becomes more apparent in an article titled, "Not Every Patient with Multiple Sclerosis Should Be Treated at Time of Diagnosis" (Archives of Neurology 2006;63:611-614): If left untreated, MS often runs a "favorable" course, but it becomes difficult to distinguish a favorable course from treatment success if people are treated for a long time. The approved treatments are only partially effective in the short-term; it has not been proven that they can prevent long-term disability. Drawbacks to treatment include the cost, adverse effects, neutralizing antibodies (immune system proteins that can interfere with the effectiveness of interferons), and some patients' reluctance to make a long-term commitment to taking injected medications. The authors suggest that monitoring people with MS regularly with clinical examinations and MRI scans may help to identify people whose course requires treatment with disease-modifying therapies. They conclude that well-designed studies are required to determine whether early, versus delayed, treatment of relapsing MS makes a clinically meaningful difference in terms of the development of disability.

In an accompanying editorial, E. S. Roach, MD (Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC) comments on the two reports and concludes in favor of early treatment (Archives of Neurology 2006;63:619). "One approach, as proposed by Pittock and colleagues, is to defer treatment until the patient's course is better established, possibly allowing those with less aggressive disease to avoid years of unnecessary treatment," comments Dr. Roach. "But as Frohman and colleagues counter, most people with newly diagnosed MS do progress, and we must consider that treatment could be less effective if started later in the course of the illness." Dr. Roach notes the necessity for finding specific evidence that some people do not need treatment. "Without such evidence for individuals with MS, it will be difficult to know for sure whether it is ever safe to defer treatment," he concludes. "While it would be wonderful if we could avoid treating some patients with MS, until we can distinguish these individuals from the others, it is probably better to offer treatment to all patients except in the setting of a clinical trial.

"But You Look So Good!" - [National Multiple Sclerosis Society]:
"People who have invisible MS symptoms have a unique set of problems. Some people assume that you don't really have a disease. This can undermine your confidence and your relationships, and discourage you from seeking treatment or help for problems. Add in living with all the other things that other people can't see your feelings of anger, uncertainty, frustration, and fear. Still, people will look right at you and say, You look so good!......."

NEWS RELEASE: Lead Exposure Leads to Brain Cell Loss and Damage Years Later...[MORE]:
"Eighteen years later, people who worked with lead have significant loss of brain cells and damage to brain tissue, according to a new study published in the May 23, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology......"

"Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection in Multiple Sclerosis II - [Abstract: Doctors Guide]:

Dean Singleton: Newspaper Mogul received a diagnosis of MS in 1986 - New York Times
"...His company, the privately held MediaNews based in Denver, owns 55 dailies including The Denver Post, The Detroit News, The Daily News of Los Angeles and The Berkshire Eagle, plus more than 100 nondailies. With the addition of the Knight Ridder papers — The San Jose Mercury News, The Contra Costa Times and The Monterey County Herald, all in California, and The St. Paul Pioneer Press — MediaNews has become the nation's fourth-biggest newspaper company, up from seventh...."

BioMed Central | Abstract | 1471-2202-7-39 | Differential cognitive impairment for diverse forms of MS [Research article: BMC NEUROSCIENCE]: "
Conclusions: "The present results suggest a cognitive impairment in the information processing in all of these patients. Comparing both pathological groups, cognitive impairment was more accentuated in the BMS group compared to the RMSS group. This suggests a silent deterioration of cognitive skills for the BMS that is not usually treated with pharmacological or neuropsychological therapy."

Kannah Creek Makes New Brew To Help Raise Money For MSNBC VIDEO: "Kannah Creek Brewing Company whips up a special new brew, the Philanthropy Ale, to help raise money for the MS Society"

Keppra (Levetiracetam) shows Promise Against Tremor: "Intention tremor (or cerebellar tremor) is a common symptom in MS patients. It is characterized by a slow, broad shaking that occurs at the end of an intended movement. Of course, this can have a major impact on quality of life.

A new study examined the effect of the oral anticonvulsant drug Levetiracetam (better known by its brand name of Keppra (r)) on 11 MS patients with intention tremor. Happily, administration of Keppra was associated with an improvement in both subjective and objective tests. Furthermore, the degree of improvement was not associated with the underlying multiple sclerosis disease severity or duration....)

"Revised diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica" [Abstract: Neurology - Stanford University Libraries]:
"Conclusions: The authors propose revised diagnostic criteria for definite neuromyelitis optica (NMO) that require optic neuritis, myelitis, and at least two of three supportive criteria: MRI evidence of a contiguous spinal cord lesion 3 or more segments in length, onset brain MRI nondiagnostic for multiple sclerosis, or NMO-IgG seropositivity. CNS involvement beyond the optic nerves and spinal cord is compatible with NMO"

"Neuromyelitis optica diagnosis in clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of MS"-- [Abstract: American Academy of Neurology]:

"Tucson clinic uses alternative therapy - - hyperbaric chamber - to treat MS" - KVOA News 4, Tucson, Arizona

2 LEADING NEUROLOGISTS HAVE JUST IMFORMED US OF THE FOLLOWING REGARDING "HYPERBARIC OXYGEN":

"Large studies were done in MS - in fact there were three separate international studies and all demonstrated no effect of hyperbaric oxygen in MS"

The MS News Channel

"A new era in the genetic analysis of multiple sclerosis"
[Abstract: Department of Health & Human Services]

REBIF VIDEO: "People go, oh, my gosh. M.S., you're dead. You're out of here. .... You're in a wheelchair...None of that stuff is true"
“When I got a diagnosis for M.S., I go, ‘oh, this is not stopping me. I'm not letting this stop me.’

"And I think to go around and talk about it and tell people that that's what I did and that they can do it, too, it helps people. It helps a lot of people feel better. So that makes me happy.” - And if she can do it, so can others. - “I think it's good for me to be functioning and okay and come out there and say, look, I have M.S., And if you have M.S., it's not so bad.”

For the past four or five years, Garr has been taking a powerful immunity-boosting drug called Rebif. And it seems to be working. She says her most recent M.R.I.s show no there’s been no progression of the disease.

"Epidemiology and natural history of multiple sclerosis: new insights."
[Abstract: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA bDepartment of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Scottsdale, AZ,]

"Neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis: therapeutic strategies and clinical trial design":
[Abstract: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK]

"Emerging therapeutic targets in multiple sclerosis"
[Abstract: Curr Opin Neurol. 2006 Jun]

"Benign course in MS: a review":
[Abstract: National Library of Medicine] "Since the 1950s, it has been recognized that a subgroup of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients exists that shows little or no progression in the severity of the disease over time. This group is referred to as 'benign' MS. Although a substantial amount of research in MS indicates a multifactorial background in disease severity, to date it is still difficult to predict whether the course will be benign at onset and it is difficult to find factors that influence the course of the disease over time. Maintaining or restoring neural conduction inside a central nervous system lesion seems to be the essence of staying 'benign'"

[Abstract: National Institutes of Health] "Treadmill training for individuals with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomised trial.":
"This study showed that in individuals with MS, aerobic treadmill training is feasible and well tolerated. Walking speed and endurance increased following training with no increase in reported fatigue....."

"Barbara Steinfelder, who was diagnosed with MS in 2004, holds yoga classes for people who have MS. She is shown teaching a class...":

Online Creative Writing Workshop...MS Society of NYC:
"Whether you've been writing most of your life, have always dreamed of writing your memoirs, poetry or the great American novel, these online workshops are structured to make the process easy and available to everyone...Selected works may be published in MS Society publications..."

Open-label study : "Glatiramer acetate in treatment-naive and prior interferon-beta-1b-treated MS patients"

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children:
"CONCLUSIONS. ADEM is a demyelinating condition, usually with a monophasic course and good outcome. The only way to confirm a definite diagnosis is long-term follow-up"

"MS and me: Mark Auld, 31, will not be bowed by an illness that is 150 years old":
"Living life to the full. Mark leads an active life and is determined that MS will fit in with his life instead of his life fitting in with it...."

"Research article: Differential cognitive impairment for diverse forms of MS":

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Webcast
MS Learn Online Presents:

MS Research 2006: Part II
This two-part series on current research into MS treatments. The presenter is John Richert, MD, the Society’s Vice President of Research and Clinical Programs. Dr. Richert will continue his research discussion, focusing on the projects funded by the Society’s $30 million Promise 2010 campaign:
• Protection and repair of the central nervous system
• MS Lesion Project
• Sonya Slifka Longitudinal MS Study
• Pediatric MS Centers
This webcast is pre-recorded and may be played at any time.
*****************************************************************************
Upcoming Series: Improving Independence
June 1 — Assistance for Mobility
June 14 — Options for Recreation and Rehabilitation

Clich Here

Forward "THE MS NEWS CHANNEL" to everyone in your address book who's been touched by MS:

Every patient! Every family member!

Thank you
The MS News Channel

"MS Active Source" Health Talk tonight! -"Increase your understanding of how cognitive issues may affect you"
Kathleen L. Fuchs, Ph.D./Tim K. Vartanian, M.D., Ph.D.
When: May 18, 2006/8:30 p.m. Eastern (5:30 p.m. Pacific)
Where: On the phone & On the Internet
(note: This site is owned by an MS drug company)

VIDEO - Interview: Teri Garr
PBS..."I figure if you get a diagnosis of something like this, there's one of two ways to go. You go down or you can go up. You can look at the funny side of it, you can laugh or you can cry. So I figured I might as well be up about it....."

Parenting with MS: "Sometimes, I'm mad at the MS"
How parents with MS and their kids - adapt and get stronger

AVONEX PRESS RELEASE: "Most Widely Prescribed Treatment for MS Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary"

The pathology of MS: a paradigm shift
Possible Shift in Thinking about how MS Develops

"Doctors Seen as Key to Tysabri Success: Makers of the pulled MS drug, which is widely expected to return, are wooing physicians who would prescribe it." - Los Angeles Times
"It was barely two hours after a panel recommended to the Food and Drug Administration that it allow the drug Tysabri back on the market when Dr. Joseph Berger got an e-mail inviting him to a special class.

Would Berger, a neurologist at the University of Kentucky's Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, be interested in earning credits toward updating his medical license by learning more about Tysabri, a treatment for multiple sclerosis?

'The marketing people at Biogen Idec are brilliant,' Berger said, 'I think every one of these companies has these various shadow organizations, and that's how they get their message out without being necessarily linked to it.....[more]'....."

Teri Garr received the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation's National Beacon Award in appreciation of her commitment to promoting greater awareness of MS

"Implication of Cannabinoids in Neurological Diseases":
[Abstract: Entrez PubMed]

"Quality of life in women with MS and overactive bladder syndrome"

[Abstract: National Institutes of Health]

"Online movement control in MS patients with tremor: Effects of tendon vibration"
[Abstract: National Library of Medicine]

"After Decades Of Battling MS, This Woman Still Sparkles": "A morning chat with Kathy Aeschliman, who has been battling MS since 1980, pretty much makes your day. 'I'm feisty,' she said. 'But then, I'm surrounded by all the right people.'She's been using a wheelchair lately, instead of her walker, but it is not the MS that put her there. It is a herniated disk in her back. Still, her 'my glass is half full, not half empty' attitude shines through in her sparkly voice."

My Pain, My Brain - New York Times (FREE REGISTRATION)
"Who hasn't wished she could watch her brain at work and make changes to it, the way a painter steps back from a painting, studies it and decides to make the sky a different hue? If only we could spell-check our brain like a text, or reprogram it like a computer to eliminate glitches like pain...."

"Segway Human Transporters (HTs) are available to try, rent or purchase throughout the country (and the world"

Segway transports folks with disabilities

"Mother with MS Does Double Duty on Mother`s Day":

The suffering should have right to whatever relieves their pain" ["Editorial-The Express-Times"]:

No health insurance? Program tries to fill gaps
A good idea for other cities

Caregiving Decisions for MS Caregivers: Is Home Care for you?

Children's book guides conversations about MS : " Berlex Canada Inc., in partnership with the MS Society of Canada, announced the Canadian launch of Benjamin: My Mum is Special, a children's book for families affected by MS. Benjamin, the book's hero, is an eight-year-old boy whose mother has MS. He is worried and frightened when his mother suddenly has trouble walking and dressing herself because of her MS. With the support of family and friends, Benjamin learns that it is okay to be worried, ask questions and talk about how he is feeling. "Benjamin provides a view of MS through the eyes of a child struggling to understand his mother's mysterious and sometimes frightening illness," says Dr. Banwell. "It is a beautiful story of coping, compassion and caring that should be shared between all parents with MS and their children."

"This book offers a platform for parents to talk to their children about MS and gives children the opportunity to share their thoughts and ask their questions," says Jon Temme, national vice president of client services for the MS Society. "MS is a disease that can be frightening for children and we are pleased to help families ease that fear and better understand MS."

To obtain a copy of Benjamin: My Mum is Special or for additional information about MS, please call MS Pathways at 1-800-977-2770, visit www.mspathways.ca, or contact your local office of the MS Society at 1-800-268-7582 or www.mssociety.ca.

Betaseron: New spin on old MS drug - NBC

“Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.” comic uses his MS battle for laughs:
"Katz was one of the creative minds behind the pop hit animated series “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.” He also starred as the voice of the therapist. Katz claims to be the only comic who uses his MS, for laughs. He was first diagnosed with MS in 1996"

Medicare Part D participants ask drug companies for help:
"MS patient Jeanine Piscotti said Friday that she doesn't know whether she will be able to afford the Avonex injections that used to cost her about $8 per month and helped ease her symptoms of MS. Under the new Medicare Part D program, the drug could cost Piscotti, 54, about $290 per month.

Laura Cohan, 40, of Steger said the prospect of paying more than $4,000 per year for Copaxone with Part D will put the drug out of reach for her. She doesn't look forward to the inevitable MS attacks she expects to face - attacks that could allow the degenerative disease to progress faster.

Roxanne Metz of rural Jacksonville at one point feared losing the help she received to afford the anti-MS drug Betaseron.....

The gap in coverage requires Part D enrollees to pay the full price of drugs after the first $2,250 expended; coverage kicks back in when their drug expenses exceed $5,100.

As a result, many MS patients who have been dropped from assistance programs that charge $120 to $600 per year for medicine will have to pay $3,600 to $5,000 per year for their medicine through Part D, according to the MS Society.....[more]"

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I AM SORRY! WE HAD A PROBLEM YESTERDAY!

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Poker Tournament To Benefit National MS Society
Good idea for other cities: Participants will be required to pay a $30 registration fee, all of which will be donated.

MS in Childhood: Presenting as Bilateral Optic Neuritis
Abstract - Case Studies

View Interactive Flash Program: "Experts SpeakOut - Side Effect Considerations with
[University of Cincinnati]
Disease-Modifying Therapies"
Download CME Monograph (PDF)
Download Program Presentation Slides (PPT)

Teva pins $1 billion loss on Ivax acquisition

"Selectively blocking inflammatory signals may protect mice from MS"...PRESS RELEASE: University of Chicago

"A new way to preserve the cells that surround and protect nerves could lead to new treatments for demyelinating diseases such a multiple sclerosis, a research team reports in the May 10, 2006, issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

The approach grew out of a novel explanation, quickly gaining followers, for the mechanism of nerve damage caused by multiple sclerosis. Instead of concentrating on the alterations that result in autoimmune assaults on the nervous system, researchers led by Brian Popko of the University of Chicago have focused on a set of factors that prevent recovery from the inflammatory attacks.

A series of papers from Popko’s lab has demonstrated that interferon-gamma -- a chemical signal used to activate the immune system -- plays a critical role in damaging the cells that produce myelin, the protective coating that lines healthy nerves. Interferon not only leaves these cells, called oligodendrocytes, incapable of repairing the damage but can also kill them directly.

"Interferon-gamma is not normally found in the nervous system," said Popko, the Jack Miller Professor of Neurological Diseases at the University of Chicago, "but it can gain entry after an inflammatory flare-up. We previously showed how it harmed oligodendrocytes. Here we confirm its direct harmful effects on those cells and demonstrate one way of protecting them.""

"Seniors must act fast or pay the price" (Click to read full story - Chicago Tribune)

"6.5 million seniors have 6 days to make sense of the Medicare maze and pick a plan"

"....This is the first time Medicare is paying for prescription drugs, an essential and expensive treatment for most seniors, and the largest expansion of the government health plan in more than 40 years. But persuading seniors to sign up has been an uphill battle.

Like Mayer, large numbers of people are baffled by the complexity of Medicare's drug benefit, which is being administered by dozens of private companies. And like him, they're weighing the costs of joining against the benefits, and worrying about a financial penalty for people who don't sign up in time. The fine is 1 percent of an average drug plan's monthly premium.

Even critics of the drug program say this is reason enough to take the plunge.

"Select a plan now and avoid the penalty," said Vicki Gottlich, a senior attorney with the Center for Medicare Advocacy. "Insurance is important. You get car insurance and hope you never have an accident. So, get drug insurance even if you hope you won't need it."

Elaine Aulig, a MS patient, takes medications to keep the disease and its complications under control. Copaxone, costs more than $1,400 a month. Until February, Aulig's former company was paying for her prescriptions; now she belongs to Blue Medicare Rx Standard, a Medicare drug plan offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. But with a $250 deductible, the $2,850 doughnut hole, a $27 monthly premium, and drug co-payments, her expenses will still come to almost $5,000 a year, Aulig estimated....."

Mitoxantrone versus cyclophosphamide in secondary-progressive MS : A comparative study
Abstract..."Comparison of mitoxantrone (trade name Novantrone) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) in secondary progressive MS subjects showed a similar degree of benefit from each drug. (Both drugs are chemotherapies; mitoxantrone is already FDA-approved for treatment of SPMS.) This trial involved 50 SPMS subjects whose EDSS scores had decreased by at least one point in the past two years. Twenty-five subjects were assigned to each drug, and they were treated for two years with regular clinical and imaging evaluations. At the end of the two years, each group showed similar reductions in relapse rate and disability progression, with no major safety issues occurring. The authors recommend that cyclophosphamide be considered for treating people with rapidly progressive MS."