People with multiple sclerosis (MS), having a COVID-19 infection is not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability, study finds

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#MultipleSclerosis #COVID19 #MSResearch #HealthStudy #ChronicIllness

Oral bacterium tied to disability severity in multiple sclerosis (MS) 🦷🧠. Findings connect Fusobacterium nucleatum with MS disease severity. Increasing evidence suggests that the severe gum disease, periodontitis, may contribute to central nervous system disorders through chronic inflammation.

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#MultipleSclerosis #MSResearch #OralHealth #Fusobacterium #ChronicInflammation

Two new subtypes of MS found in ‘exciting’ breakthrough. Scientists uncovered biological strands using artificial intelligence 🤖🧬 and hope discovery will revolutionise treatment 💉✨.

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#MultipleSclerosis #MSResearch #ArtificialIntelligence #MedicalBreakthrough #HealthInnovation

Researchers 🔬 analysed blood 🩸 from individuals 👥 who had recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 🧠 to investigate concentrations of the common environmental contaminants PFAS 🧪 and PCBs 🧪.

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#MultipleSclerosis #MSResearch #PFAS #PCBs #EnvironmentalHealth

🔬 **New Study Links Environmental Toxins to Higher Multiple Sclerosis Risk**
* Research involving over 1,800 individuals in Sweden found that exposure to both PFAS and PCBs increases the likelihood of an MS diagnosis. Those with the highest concentrations of PFOS and PCBs showed approximately double the odds of being diagnosed with MS compared to those with the lowest.

🧪 **Mixtures Matter: Combined Chemical Exposure Magnifies Risk**
* The study highlights that viewing chemical exposures as mixtures, rather than individual substances, is crucial. Increased total exposure to these contaminants was linked to a higher odds of MS, even after accounting for known genetic and lifestyle factors.

🧬 **Genetic Interaction Identified in MS Development**
* Researchers observed a complex interplay between genetic predisposition and chemical exposure. In individuals carrying a specific gene variant linked to a reduced MS risk, higher PFOS exposure unexpectedly increased their odds of developing the disease.

#MSResearch #EnvironmentalHealth #PFAS

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🏔️ Yaks' genetic mutation may unlock brain disease treatments, including MS. A gene called Retsat, found in high-altitude animals, helps protect and repair brain damage by aiding myelin production.

🔬 In mice with MS-like brain damage, the Retsat gene's mechanism significantly improved symptoms and regenerated myelin, particularly under low-oxygen conditions.

🧬 Researchers discovered Retsat converts a vitamin A-related molecule into a form that triggers the creation of cells that produce myelin, crucial for nerve communication.

🧠 This discovery could pave the way for new treatments for myelin damage in conditions like MS, neurodegenerative diseases, and even stroke, by focusing on repair rather than just slowing disease progression.

#Neuroscience #MSResearch #MedicalBreakthrough

🧠 Researchers have developed two novel drug molecules that show promise in encouraging nerve cell repair in multiple sclerosis (MS) models.

🔬 The first drug targets a stress response in brain cells that hinders repair, while the second alters scar tissue that blocks nerve regeneration. Both approaches led to significant myelin regrowth and reduced inflammation in lab tests.

🌿 These findings, stemming from Tapani Koppinen's doctoral thesis at the University of Helsinki, represent a potential breakthrough in treating MS, offering hope for the first drugs that can enhance remyelination.

#MSResearch #Neurology #Biotechnology

🔬 A new study led by Harvard researchers has identified a key mechanism explaining how the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS). Published July 15 in Science Translational Medicine, the research suggests a unique immune response to EBV is required for MS development.

🔬 The study found that individuals with untreated MS showed a doubled immune response to EBV, specifically an increase in CD4+ T cells, which can cause inflammation.

🔬 Common MS treatments were observed to significantly reduce these EBV-specific CD4+ T cells and eliminate the virus from saliva.

🔬 These findings may pave the way for new EBV-targeted therapies, including potential vaccines and antiviral drugs for MS.

#MSResearch #EBV #Neuroscience

🔬 New study from Mass General Brigham reveals how Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation may trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks. Researchers found distinct immune changes in blood samples up to 3 months before an MS relapse.

🦠 The study, involving 114 MS patients, identified increased EBV activity in immune cells, particularly B cells, which also showed elevated expression of genes linked to MS risk. This offers a timeline of how the reactivated virus interacts with risk genes to cause inflammation.

💡 These findings, published in Nature Medicine, suggest potential for more targeted MS therapies by focusing on EBV or specific immune cells involved in relapses, rather than broad immune suppression.

#MultipleSclerosis #EpsteinBarrVirus #MSResearch