Mar
31
ScienceDaily (Mar. 31, 2009) — Scientists studying a mysterious neurological affliction in cats have discovered a surprising ability of the central nervous system to repair itself and restore function.
In a study published March 30, 2009 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports that the restoration in cats of myelin — a fatty insulator of nerve fibers that degrades in a host of human central nervous system disorders, the most common of which is multiple sclerosis — can lead to functional recovery.
“The fundamental point of the study is that it proves unequivocally that extensive remyelination can lead to recovery from a severe neurological disorder,” says Ian Duncan, the UW-Madison neuroscientist who led the research. “It indicates the profound ability of the central nervous system to repair itself.”
The finding is important because it underscores the validity of strategies to reestablish myelin as a therapy for treating a range of severe neurological diseases associated with the loss or damage of myelin, but where the nerves themselves remain intact.
read the rest: Nine Lives: Cats’ Central Nervous System Can Repair Itself And Restore Function.
Mar
22
APPLE VALLEY • Fatigue, blurred vision, immobility, numbness and bladder control problems. For Holly Huber, that was life with multiple sclerosis.
Symptoms of the degenerative disease became so chronic and unbearable that Huber, a Victor Valley native now living in San Diego, could no longer work.
As part of her treatment she had to give herself daily injections of potent drugs in a futile effort to fight the disease. Even with medical insurance she was still paying $1,450 a month for medication that she said was becoming less effective each month.
“I could tell my legs were getting weaker and my balance and eyesight was getting worse,” Huber said. “I really felt that I needed to be aggressive with my health care so that I didn’t end up being permanently disabled.”
Huber fought back. The 36-year-old business owner became her own medical advocate and started researching various therapies. She tried alternative therapies like acupuncture, yoga and diet. Then she stumbled upon an adult stem cell procedure only available overseas.
She talked with other MS patients who said they had great success after being treated at The Institute for Cellular Medicine in San Jose, Costa Rica.
read the rest via Adult stem cell treatment gives MS patient new life | Victorville Daily Press.
Mar
8
(NaturalNews) Researchers from Oxford University and the University of British Columbia have discovered that Vitamin D deficiency affects a section of the human genome already linked with multiple sclerosis (MS) risk, adding further weight to theories that this vitamin deficiency might play a role in development of the disease.
“Here we show that the main environmental risk candidate — vitamin D — and the main gene region are directly linked and interact,” said co-author George Ebers.
The study was published in the journal PLoS Genetics.
…
In the current study, researchers examined a portion of chromosome six known to play a role in MS risk — the risk is three times higher among those carrying one copy of the DRB1*1501 gene variant on this chromosome, and 10 times higher among those carrying two. They found that proteins activated by vitamin D bind to and alter the functioning of a section of the chromosome right near this gene. This suggests that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy might alter the function of fetal genes, predisposing children to MS.
“Our study implies that taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and the early years may reduce the risk of a child developing MS in later life,” lead researcher Sreeram Ramagopalan said.
read the rest via Multiple Sclerosis Caused by Vitamin D Deficiency.
Mar
6
Can Parasitic Hookworms Help In Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis?
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Scientists from The University of Nottingham will study the potential health benefits of parasitic worms as part of a study investigating treatments for people with the autoimmune condition multiple sclerosis (MS).
It is thought that hookworms may play a role in damping down the immune system, which is overactive in people with MS, the most disabling neurological condition in young adults.
The £400,000, three-year project funded by the MS Society, aims to determine whether infection with a small and harmless number of the worms can lead to an improvement on the severity of MS over a 12 month period.
If the trial is successful, the worms have the potential to provide a simple, cheap, natural and controllable treatment for MS.
read the rest via Can Parasitic Hookworms Help In Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis?.