In the new ear of MS drugs, safety has been an important consideration. The risk of cancer in patients treated with IFNs has been raised, although never proven. In this issue of JNNP, a large study from British Columbia categoricaly excludes the association of any cancers with MS. Interestingly, there was a non-signifcant increase in […]
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Stem cells and MS: let’s see some data.
It is no secret that treatment options in Neurology are rapidly evolving. It is also no secret that for many chronic neurological disorders, there is no way we can even begin to think about a cure. For many conditions, the mechanisms that cause the disease are only just being identified and this is of course […]
Salt intake exacerbates MS?
Salt intake has been shown to modulate the activity of Th 17 cells, the very cells that drive the inflammatory response in MS. Consequently, the question is raised whether high salt intake is associated with MS activity/relapses. In an upcoming issue of JNNP, Farez and colleagues demonstrate a link between high salt intake and MS […]
Is treatment for HIV a potential cure for multiple sclerosis?
HIV and multiple sclerosis (MS) are chronic conditions that, despite a massive amount of research, remain essentially incurable. The marked progress in treatment for these conditions has meant that both are now treatable, with the goal of treatment focussing on maintaining independence and quality of life. In the case of HIV, ensuring prolonged survival is […]
PPMS: Factors governing its progression
Primary progressive MS (PPMS) is the least frequent but possibly the most devastating of the MS phenotypes. The rate of progression and disability accumulation in PPMS has been a matter of debate. In an upcoming issue of JNNP 9Published as first online), Koch and colleagues address the issue of factors governing disability progression. Importantly, older […]
Cortical thickness: A biomarker of upper motor neuron dysfunction?
Thinning of the motor cortex has been suggested as a biomarker of cortical dysfunction in ALS, although the specificity of the finding remains to be determined. In an upcoming issue of JNNP Walhout and colleagues report on the fact that cortical thinning was a specific feature in ALS, related to pathology of upper motor neurons. […]
Cervical sensory axonal dysfunction in radiculopathy: A novel concept!
Cervical radiculopathy is a common issue for neurologists. While motor dysfunction has been traditionally assessing using needle EMG techniques, thereby confirming the diagnosis, frequently only sensory symptoms may be evident. In such cases, the diagnostic time may be protracted. In an upcoming issue of JNNP (ON-LINE FIRST) Lin and colleagues tackle this issue in a […]
Calling Dr Google: where to from here for the poor old clinician?
Recently, I was talking to a young man in my clinic whom I had recently diagnosed with MS. We went over the potential options for treatment and he said that he would think it over and get back to me. A few weeks later I received an email from him stating that he wanted to […]
Lamotrigine safer in pregnancy after all!
The risk of fetal malformations is a considerable therapeutic consideration in pregnant patients that suffer epilepsy. the need to control seizures effectively is counterbalanced by toxicity of medications. While lamotrigine was considered as a safer option than other anti-epiletics, doubt was cast upon this assertion. In this issue of JNNP, an important study conducted by […]
Is FOSMN syndrome a form of ALS?
Facial onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN syndrome) is a rare neurodegnerative disorder of unknown etiology. Clinically it may resemble ALS, albeit only in the motor component. The marked sensory abnormalities, which dominate the phenotype in the early stages of the disease process, and the prolonged survival, clearly argue against an ALS phenotype. In this […]