News & Research Page

Foyle Branch News & Research


  • What is MS?
  • What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
  • Genes and MS - What's it all about?
    1. Link Between Vitamin D and MS (Posted: 1 May 2010)
    2. Genetic Study of MS Among Twins (Posted: 1 May 2010)
    3. Smoking, Epstein-Barr Virus and MS (Posted:9 April 2010)
    4. Phase II Clinical Trial on LDN Reports (P0sted: 9 April 2010)
    5. CCSVI Stent Treatment Stopped (Posted; 9April 2010)
    6. Belfast Surgeon Claims Relief from MS Symptoms After CCSVI Repair (Posted: 11 Feb 2010)
    7. Early Results of Buffalo Research Suggest Link between CCSVI & MS (Posted:10 Feb 2010)
    8. Risk of MS Reduced for Nurses Whose Mothers Drank Vitamin D Fortified Milk During Pregnancy (Posted: 10 Feb 2010)
    9. Exercises Designed for Persons with MS (Posted: 3 Feb 2010)
    10. Good News on Oral Drugs (Posted: 26 Jan 2010)
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    Items posted 2010

    1. Link Between Vitamin D and MS

      An Australian study published yesterday has shed further light on the correlation between vitamin D and MS. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, shows that people born after the vitamin D-scarce winter months are about 30 per cent more likely to go on to develop MS later in life compared with those born after the summer months. View the MS Society report at this link.

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    3. Genetic Study of MS Among Twins

      A pilot study published yesterday in the journal, Nature, has thrown new light on the question of whether the risk of developing MS is genetic. The complete genome of one set of twins and 99% of the genomes of two other sets were examined by Sergio Baranzini, Associate professor of Neurology at the University of California, and his team. One twin in each case had MS.

      They reported that they were unable to uncover any significant genetic variations that could account for the fact that one twin developed MS and the other didn't. This led them to conclude that the trigger for MS must lie in environmental factors although their research did not rule out the possibility of a genetic factor that renders a person susceptible to MS.

      There has long been an established view that there is a genetic susceptibility to MS and an environmental trigger. A number of possible triggers have been suggested by different studies such as low childhood exposure to sunlight resulting in low levels of vitamin D, childhood exposure to Epstein-Barr virus or smoking. This study, although a pilot study, does not confirm or refute the possibility of a genetic susceptibility but it adds considerable weight to the theory of one or more trigger factors in the environment. The main evidence for the existence of a genetic factor is based on epidemiological studies that suggest that a twin of a person with MS has a 25% higher risk of developing the disease.

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    5. Smokers, Epstein-Barr Virus & MS

      Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also called human herpesvirus 4 (HHV-4), is very common and infects a majority of young persons without any serious illness. Those infected normally develop antibodies. Research suggests that the presence of high levels of the antibodies increase the risk of developing MS. Research also suggests an increased risk of MS among persons who smoke.

      A new study suggests that persons with high levels of the antibodies who also smoke have nearly double the risk of developing MS.

      The researchers analysed the results of three major studies, a large American Nurses' Health Study, a Tasmanian MS Study in Australia and a Swedish MS study.

      Although the researchers noted the difficulties of coordinating the results of three disparate studies, they suggested that the outcome was so definitive that it was unlikely to be a chance effect. They called for further research.

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    6. LDN Phase II Clinical Trial Reports

      There are widespread anecdotal claims that LDN can benefit persons with MS. The results of a phase II clinical trial have benn published recently and, according to a report on the MS Society website at MS Society item on LDN , the results of the study suggest that LDN is safe and may have positive effects on the mental quality of life in people with MS, but no effect on a patient's physical quality of life.

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    8. CCSVI Stent Treatment Halted

      A team at Stanford University started testing the CCSVI theory by treating the blocked veins. They inserted stents into the blockakes to open the veins. One of the participants died of a brain haemorrhage. Another had to have emergency surgery because the stent had become dislodged and had moved down into the heart. The treatment has now been stopped. This was a recognised risk as the veins involved feed directly into the heart.

      See the two items immediately following.

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    10. Belfast Surgeon Claims Relief from MS Symptoms After CCSVI Repair

      The BBC today carried a report of an interview with an Italian heart surgeon who has MS and who works in Belfast. The Surgeon underwent a repair of his CCSVI condition in Italy a couple of years ago and, according to the report, experienced immediate improvement to his MS symptoms. Last year his condition worsened again and he discovered his veins had again narrowed. He had a repair again in October and claims his symptoms have again improved. Read the BBC report at BBC Report.

      This is an interesting report but must be treated with caution. Aristotle is believed to have coined the phrase ’one swallow doesn't make a Spring‘ and it has frequently applied to claims of cures for MS. Nevertheless, the research reported in the item below is welcome and, hopefully, will speedily establish whether there may be a causal link between CCSVI and MS.

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    12. Early Results of Buffalo Research Suggest Link between CCSVI and MS.

      Early Results of the 1st phase of a preliminary study at the University of Buffalo in New York suggest a link between MS and CCSVI.

      In a news bulletin issued today (10 Feb 2010), the university published preliminary results of a study of 500 persons over half of whom had MS. They reported that 56.4% of persons with MS had CCSVI compared with 22.4% of healthy controls. This is not evidence that CCSVI is a cause of MS but merely confirms a significant link between the two and the researchers plan to extend the study to a further 500 persons. Detailed results of the preliminary study are to be presented at an American Academy of Neurology meeting in April.

      Earlier items posted on this site can be viewed at Bucket of Cold Water Thrown on CCSVI Theory (Posted:04 Dec 2009) & Possible New Cause for MS under Investigation (posted: 29 Oct 2009).

      The News release can be viewed at Buffalo News Release.

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    14. Risk of MS Reduced for Nurses Whose Mothers Drank Vitamin D Fortified Milk During Pregnancy

      Results of a 16 year study involving 35,794 nurses whose mothers completed a questionnaire in 2001 about their experiences and diet during pregnancy with their nurse-daughter will be reported to the April meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Of the nurses studied, 199 women developed MS over the 16-year period.

      The researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston found that the risk of MS among nurses whose mothers had a high intake of milk or dietary vitamin D during pregnancy was lower than those whose mothers had a low intake. They report that the risk of MS among daughters whose mothers consumed four glasses of milk per day was 56 percent lower than daughters whose mothers consumed less than three glasses of milk per month. These results add to the growing evidence of a link between MS and vitamin D

      Fatty fish such as salmon and exposure to sunlight are sources of vitamin D.

      Note: UK milk is not fortified with vitamin D and does not contribute to the level of vitamin D in the system.


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    16. Exercises Designed for Persons with MS

      The MS Trust has launched a new exercise resource for persons with MS on its website based on its popular 2004 book. The resource consists of a series of website pages, each of which can be downloaded in PDF format. The complete resource, including general posture and fitness advice and each of the colourfully illustrated exercises can be accessed on MS Trust Exercise Resource. If you only want the exercises go directly to MS Trust Exercises. (Image courtesy of the MS Trust)

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    18. Good News on Oral Drugs

      The New Year has brought a number of reports of advances in development of MS drug therapies. Currently the recognised treatments such as interferon beta are administered by injection. Two orally administered drugs, cladibrine and fingolimod, are therefore of great interest to the MS community . Both of these reported very positive results in earlier trials last year and further trails were published online in the New England Journal of Medicine on 20 January this year.

      During the last year a double blind clinical trail found fingolimod to be superior to interferon beta-1a in respect of relapse rates and MRI results. However further trials will be necessary to establish safety factors as two participants developed herpes zoster infections and died.

      In the other trial, cladibrine was also found to be very effective in reducing relapses but there was also evidence of increased rates of herpes zoster infection. Cladibrine is already used to treat a type of leukemia.

      Both of the developing companies are submitting applications for licences in the UK and in America. There is a real prospect of the drugs being approved for MS within the next two to three years.

      More detailed information on these trials is available on the MS UK website.