As we age, our bodies undergo biological changes. Our immune system changes. Our brain changes with age. Our cognitive abilities change, as do our physical abilities. These changes impact everyone. But these biological processes may impact people with MS differently. And MS may impact these biological processes differently. Just a couple of weeks ago, the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS brought together 100 top experts for a 3-day workshop dedicated to exploring how these many and varied changes can impact MS care. In Part 2 of our coverage, we're taking you back insi ..read more

As people age, their immune systems change. Their level of physical and cognitive reserve changes. They often develop additional health issues. They frequently experience changes in their mobility. And these are people who aren't living with MS. When you combine the health issues related to aging with the health issues that are related to MS, you end up with a sum that is exponentially larger than its parts. And when you consider that there are more people living with MS who are over the age of 65 than there are people living with MS under the age of 45, it's not surprising that the subject of ..read more

Lower levels of Vitamin D have been associated with a higher risk of developing MS and an increase in MS disease activity. And, for years, scientists have worked to better understand the relationship between Vitamin D and MS. Joining me to talk about the role that Vitamin D plays in MS is Dr. Ellen Mowry. Dr. Mowry is a Professor of Neurology and Epidemiology, and the Co-Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Precision Medicine Center of Excellence at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Mowry is also one of the leading experts on Vitamin D and MS in the world. The National MS Society's virtual MS Activi ..read more

In past episodes of this podcast, we've discussed disparities in healthcare. We've looked at evidence that shows members of historically underserved communities who are living with MS can face a more severe disease course. We've looked at studies that have shown some members of these racial and ethnic minority groups don't do as well on disease-modifying therapies, and their MS progresses more quickly. It's often been speculated that the reason behind these disparities is based on genetics -- that members of minority communities who are living with MS are genetically predisposed to experiencin ..read more

MS affects women almost 3 times more frequently than it affects men, which makes understanding how MS may impact other women's health issues a priority. Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl and Dr. Anna Shah join me as we take a deep dive into both the research and clinical side of how MS affects women's health and how those other health issues may affect MS. Dr. Shah is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Associate Clinic Director of Outpatient Neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Voskuhl is the Director of the UCLA Multiple Sclerosis Program, she holds the Jack H. Skirball Chair ..read more

If you're a regular listener, you've probably heard me say that the pace of scientific discovery is moving faster than ever before. Or you may have heard the National MS Society remind us that we've seen as many advances in MS research in the past 5 years as we have in the previous 70 years. Have you ever wondered why? A major driver of this acceleration of discovery is the technology that allows scientists to analyze massive amounts of information looking for relationships or identifying characteristics that, without this technology, would be impossible to see.  This category of tech is ..read more

March 28th is Progressive MS Day, a day that offers an opportunity for people affected by MS, patient advocates, healthcare providers, governments, and industry to share stories online and show their support for people living with progressive forms of MS.  My wife, Jeanne, lived with progressive MS for 23 years, so this day holds a special significance for me. Joining me to talk about what Progressive MS Day is all about is my friend, Kevin Reid. Kevin was diagnosed with MS in 2002 and, for the past 10 years, he's been on a mission to crush MS. As MS Awareness Month draws to a close, we'r ..read more

We often discuss the results of MS research studies on this podcast. In order to get to those results, people living with MS have to step up and volunteer to participate. This week, you'll meet Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed, two participants in the TEAAMS study. Chiquita and Earl will discuss how they discovered the TEAAMS study, what motivated them to get involved, what their experience as study participants was like, and what the results of the study were for them. We'll also take you to Capitol Hill as we share conversations that we had during Hill Day at the National MS Society's ..read more

Vision impairment is a key symptom of multiple sclerosis. In fact, many people experience optic neuritis as the very first sign of MS. People living with MS may also experience other vision-related issues including internuclear ophthalmoplegia, diplopia, nystagmus, oscillopsia, and reading fatigue.  Dr. Shiv Saidha joins me as we take a deep dive into strategies for navigating MS-related vision issues while managing and optimizing your vision. Dr. Saidha is a professor of neurology in the Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections at Johns Hopkins Medicine. We have a lot to t ..read more

When people living with MS think about rehabilitation, they often think of physical therapy. And, while physical therapy is an important part of MS rehabilitation, our conversation today goes far beyond physical therapy. Doctors Deborah Backus and Brad Willingham, from the Shepherd Center, join me as we take a deep dive into next-level potentially life-changing rehabilitation tools for people living with MS. Dr. Backus is the Vice-President of Research and Innovation at the Shepherd Center. She's a researcher, physical therapist, and educator with more than 30 years of experience in the neuror ..read more