Stopping MS – Understanding Progression

More and more discoveries are helping us understand MS progression, or worsening – which most people with MS experience no matter what form of MS they are originally diagnosed with. Understanding the factors that drive progression will provide new approaches to stopping and reversing it to restore what’s been lost.

Early lead for progressive MS: Dr. Lior Mayo (Brigham and Women’s Hospital) and team investigated the potential of a vaccine-like therapy that stimulates cells that can turn off specific MS immune activity which is the hallmark of progressive phases of MS. The “anti-CD3” vaccine was given by the nose to mice with a disease similar to secondary-progressive MS, reducing symptoms after the onset of progression. This early study, funded in part by the Society, suggests this approach has potential. (Abstract S14.004)

Progression in Hispanics: Dr. Lilyana Amezcua (University of Southern California) and colleagues compared the disease status of Hispanics with MS who were born in the U.S. or who immigrated before the age of 15 with those who had immigrated to the U.S. after age 15 to see whether age at immigration influenced the degree of their MS disability. U.S.-born Hispanics and those who immigrated before the age of 15 were younger at symptom onset and had less disability compared to those who immigrated after age 15. (Abstract S34.008)

Progression and menopause: Dr. Riley Bove, who is funded by an American Brain Foundation-National MS Society Clinician Scientist Award, gathered information on MS during menopause from 391 women enrolled in a large-scale, long-term study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The results show that progression (measured with the standard EDSS scale) changed at or around menopause toward a more rapid accumulation of disability. The team is following up on this finding; if hormonal shifts are responsible, it may present an opportunity for find a solution for women with MS going through menopause. (Abstract P4.163)

Quit smoking to slow progression: Previous studies suggest that smoking cigarettes can both increase the risk of getting MS and the risk of progression. Good news from a study by Dr. Cris Constantinescu (Nottingham University Hospital) and colleagues suggests that stopping can significantly reduce the chance of progression. For every year that passes after a person stops smoking, they reported that the risk for progression was reduced by as much as five percent. (Abstract P6.141)

Novel imaging for progressive MS: Dr. Laura Airas (University of Turku, Finland) and collaborators at Oxford explored the use of a novel PET (positron emission tomography) tracer or marker designed to detect activated brain cells (microglia) involved in nervous system damage during the secondary-progressive phase of MS. The team was able detect detailed microglia activity in MS lesions and in myelin-rich areas of the brain that had no apparent lesions. Ultimately this technique could help fill an important gap to study disease damage and response to treatment, which may not be apparent using standard MRI or clinical assessments. (Abstract S44.003)   

Imaging the spinal cord: Sometimes individuals’ MRI brain scans don’t show much MS activity, and yet they know they are having active disease. It’s possible the culprit is spinal cord lesions, but the narrow spinal column is more difficult to scan and study, and it’s not routinely done during checkups. A group led by Dr. David Miller (Queen Square, London) reported finding more spinal cord damage in people with progressive MS versus relapsing MS. They’ve also developed a way of measuring the load of this damage, which might be an important way to detect progression and repair in future clinical trials. (Abstract S13.007)

Source: National MS Society

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