What better way to raise awareness for this unpredictable and often incapacitating disease than by highlighting the latest research and bringing hope for the MS patients.
What is Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis or MS is an autoimmune condition. Here, the patient’s body defense mechanism attacks the body’s nerve cells. As a result, the nerve cells lose their fatty myelin sheath, which is important for the transmission of nerve impulses. This results in hampering the transmission of messages between the brain and other parts of the body. The patient then experiences problems like poor muscle control, imbalance and weak memory.
Hope in stem cells
Scientists are studying the use of stem cells in the treatment of multiple sclerosis or MS. These stem cells are acquired from a patient's own adipose tissue and have shown promising results. The SVF cells and other stem cells may be able to treat the condition by restraining the immune reaction and promoting the growth of new myelin.
Thomas Ichim and Dr. Boris Minev from the Division of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, and their team of researchers have worked together to demonstrate the possible efficiency of SVF cells in MS treatment.
Their study showed noteworthy improvement in the condition of all the MS patients after the SVF therapy. They saw significant improvements in their gait, balance and a reduction of spasticity in their arms and legs. Plus, the patients showed improvement in their mood and energy levels.
Dr. Minev said, “While obviously no conclusions in terms of therapeutic efficacy can be drawn from these reports, this first clinical use of fat stem cells for treatment of MS supports further investigations into this very simple and easily-implemental treatment methodology."
Cladribine: The New Pill to Treat MS
A new drug Cladribine for multiple sclerosis can dramatically inhibit the chances of a relapse or a worsening of the condition. Researchers at Queen Mary, University of London have studied the effect of the new drug on several cases of MS.
Over 1,300 MS patients were followed by the researchers for two years. Studies revealed that taking a course of cladribine tablets just a few times a year can reduce the chances of a relapse by over 50 percent. Patients who were part of the study showed remarkable improvement with very few side effects.
The study's lead researcher, Professor Gavin Giovannoni said: "These results are really exciting. MS can be a very debilitating illness and at the moment treatment options remain limited. Having an effective oral therapy will have a major impact for people with MS."
Cladribine tablets act on the body by inhibiting the immune system
. This restrains the risk of any further damage to the body’s immune system.
A new drug under investigation: Rituximab
Thousands of sufferers of MS across the world may find hope in the drug –rituximab. The drug appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of MS.
According to the studies led by researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute, Rrituximab significantly reduced the number of new brain lesions and the frequency of relapses.
Rituximab is a therapeutic antibody that selectively targets and exhausts a set of immune cells called B-cells by binding to a specific protein on their surface. “This is the first drug to selectively target B-cells in MS and the significance of its effectiveness is two-fold," says Dr. Amit Bar-Or, neurologist at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
"Not only might it present a significantly improved therapy for patients with relapsing-remitting MS, but it provides a clearer picture of the role that B-cells play in the disease. It’s a particularly exciting time and we think meaningful to advancing treatment options for patients."
According to the study, Rituximab was very well tolerated by MS patients, with few side effects. Plus, new brain lesions decreased by more than 90 percent along with a reduction in the frequency of relapses.
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