News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

Experimental digital bridge spans brain and spinal cord

Braiin

We all know that the difficulty many of us with multiple sclerosis have walking can be caused by lesions that damage the nerves along the spinal cord. What if an electronic bridge could be built to carry nerve impulses over those damaged areas? That concept is being investigated as a way to help people who’ve been paralyzed by a spinal cord injury. Could it also apply to people with MS?…Continue Reading

Does artificial intelligence have a place in your doctor’s office?

artificial intelligence

Is artificial intelligence (AI) intelligent enough to help with a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis? Apparently so, and more. In the U.K. a project named AssistMS is studying whether AI can be used to detect and highlight changes on brain MRIs. An algorithm called icobain ms is said to be able to to detect lesions in the brain, measure brain volume, and report on how each changes over time. “Neurologists will…Continue Reading

Will a New Contrast Material Lessen MRI Concerns?

mri machine

If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), you’ve probably had several MRIs “with” and “without.” The “with” means injecting a contrast agent containing gadolinium into a vein. The agent then travels into the brain, where it “lights up” areas of active inflammation that otherwise would be difficult or impossible for doctors to see. Using a gadolinium-based contrast agent is an important part of the diagnostic and disease-tracking process for people with…Continue Reading

Are You OK Being Treated by Dr. Google?

Dr. Google

Paging Dr. Google. OK, maybe I’m being overly dramatic, but The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Google and HCA Healthcare have struck a deal to share data and create healthcare algorithms. HCA plans to use the data system to improve operating efficiency, monitor patients, and even guide some decisions by doctors. So, the concept of a “Dr. Google” isn’t far-fetched. HCA Healthcare has clinics at 2,000 locations in 21…Continue Reading

Tongue Stimulation to Stimulate the Brain?

Tongue stimulation for brain

How does this potential MS therapy sound to you: a device that stimulates your tongue with a mild electrical current to help you walk better. A company is seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a product that would do that. The device is called a portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS). It’s a flat card, about half the size of a credit card, with electrodes on its end.…Continue Reading

Will MS Patients be OK with Myeliviz?

mri and myeliviz

Myeliviz is the name of a new imaging agent approved for a clinical trial in the U.S. It has the potential to make the process of diagnosing multiple sclerosis faster and tracking the disease progression easier. Myeliviz does this by providing doctors with a better picture of damaged myelin — the cause of many of our MS symptoms. The procedure is similar to that of an MRI with contrast. Myeliviz…Continue Reading

At-home treatment studied for MS “brain fog”

(This post first appeared as my column on www.multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com) One of the most troubling symptoms of multiple sclerosis, especially for those of us who are still working, is “brain fog”…not being able to concentrate… not feeling “sharp” when working on a task or solving problems. So it was interesting to read about a new study that reports that patients with MS had better problem-solving ability and response time after training with…Continue Reading

Spinal stimulation helping quads move their hands

They’re not multiple sclerosis patients, but researchers using electrical stimulation of the spinal cord have returned some above-the-waste movement to two quadriplegics. In the past, researchers have been successful returning some voluntary leg movement to quads when the lower spinal column was stimulated by electric pulses, but this appears to be the first report that electrical stimulation of the cervical spine can produce movement above the waist; in this case,…Continue Reading

Are wearable robotics in the future for MS gimps?

You have MS but you have some mobility.  You need help to walk because your legs are weak or stiff, and your balance is off, but canes don’t give enough help and braces are too cumbersome or limiting.  How great would it be to have something that’s relatively lightweight that you could wear and would help your legs move? That’s what a group of roboticists, mechanical and biomechanical engineers, software…Continue Reading