Possibly curable or rare types of Multiple Sclerosis include:
Some rare types of Multiple Sclerosis include:
Some of the more recent treatments for Multiple Sclerosis include:
Treatments to consider for Multiple Sclerosis may include:
Prozac for multiple sclerosis: Researchers at the Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, say that Prozac, a commonly prescribed antidepressant, may be an agent in slowing down the disease process of the relapsing remitting form of multiple sclerosis (MS). To prove this the researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, exploratory analyses of 40 patients with the relapsing remitting form of MS. For a period of 24 weeks, half of the sample was treated with 20 mg daily of fluoxetine (Prozac) while the other half received a placebo. To measure the activity of MS, detailed magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the participants' brains were completed every four weeks. The researchers focused on areas of neurological inflammation that would indicate active disease. Results showed that of the 40 initial patients, 19 participants in each group finished the study. The main finding was that the patients who were treated with Prozac had fewer new areas of inflammation than those treated with placebo. The researchers were able to detect the effects just after eight weeks - the same amount of time that it takes for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs such as Prozac to begin relieving depression. Specifically, the group given placebo had an average of over five new areas affected with inflammation compared to just less than two areas in the Prozac group. Twenty-five percent of scans from Prozac-treated patients and forty percent of placebo-treated patients depicted new areas of inflammation. Almost two out of three patients in the Prozac group had no new inflammation areas during the last 16 weeks of treatment, whereas only about 25% of patients in the placebo group had no new areas. Results of this exploratory trial are sufficiently encouraging to justify further studies with fluoxetine in patients with MS. Higher doses of fluoxetine and combination treatment with immunomodulatory drugs should be considered.
Scientists are looking into the body's autoimmune system, infectious agents, and genetics as culprits in MS. Studies into these areas strengthen the theory that MS is the result of a number of factors rather than a single gene or other agent. Studies use a technique called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the evolution of MS lesions in the white matter of the brain. Studies have shown that MS has no adverse effects on the course of pregnancy, labor, or delivery; in fact, the stabilization or remission of symptoms during pregnancy may be attributable to changes in a woman's immune system that allows her to carry a baby. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Multiple Sclerosis Information Page: NINDS)
The following medical news items are relevant to medical research for Multiple Sclerosis:
Some of the clinical trials for Multiple Sclerosis include:
Medical research papers related to Multiple Sclerosis include:
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