Prague07 - Living with MS: Today and Tomorrow

On 10 October 2007 MSIF and the Czech MS Society, in collaboration with the EMSP, will hold Prague 07 - Living with MS: Today and Tomorrow, a free one-day event in Prague, Czech Republic for people affected by MS, health professionals and MS society staff and volunteers.
Leading international MS specialists will present the current and future developments of six key topics, introduced by people with MS. Topics will include how MS is diagnosed, how information is provided, options for treatment, therapy, management and daily living.
For more information and to register please visit: www.prague07.net

MSIF News
Summaries of new MSIF activities, events, projects, programmes, resources, publications and more.

2007 MSIF Evelyn Nicholson Award recipient presented with award on Latin American MS Day

The MSIF Evelyn Nicholson Award for 2007, which was won by Susana Carballido Perdigón, was presented to her during a ceremony in Montevideo, Uruguay on 1 July.

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MSIF recruiting for Information and Communications maternity cover

We are currently recruiting someone to provide nine months maternity cover for our Information and Communications Manager.

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ICF Core Sets for MS survey

MSIF is pleased to support the ICF Core Sets for MS survey and needs your help to find health professionals to take part.

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Profile of the Month : July 2007

Dr Hithaishi Weerakoon

Age: 44
Country: Sri Lanka
Occupation: Doctor
Year of diagnosis: 1997
"We want people with MS to get the most out of life and to hold their heads up high with dignity."
English Italiano Espanol Deutsch Russian

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Natalizumab for multiple sclerosis

The author reviews the characteristics, the efficacy and the side effects of natalizumab, a recently introduced preventive therapy for multiple sclerosis.

authors: Ransohoff RM.

source: N Engl J Med. 2007 Jun 21;356(25):2622-9

Cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands and progression of disability in multiple sclerosis

The authors evaluated whether the presence of grouped antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid of people with MS could correlate with the progression of the disease. They found that it does not influence the course of MS.

authors: Koch M, Heersema D, Mostert J, Teelken A, De Keyser J.

source: Eur J Neurol. 2007 Jul;14(7):797-800

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Effect of corpus callosum damage on ipsilateral motor activation in patients with multiple sclerosis: A functional and anatomical study

Using new MRI techniques, the authors looked at the increased activity of brain areas controlling movements in people with MS. They found that this could be due to damage to nerves with a regulatory role on the function of these areas.

authors: Lenzi D, Conte A, Mainero C, Frasca V, Fubelli F, Totaro P, Caramia F, Inghilleri M, Pozzilli C, Pantano P.

source: Hum Brain Mapp. 2007 Jul;28(7):636-44

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Relapsing Neuromyelitis Optica and Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Differentiation at Diffusion-Tensor MR Imaging of Corpus Callosum

The authors used a recently developed MRI technique to evaluate the differences between people with MS and people affected by a similar disease affecting only the spinal cord and the optic nerve. They found that this was useful in distinguishing the two pathologies.

authors: Yu CS, Zhu CZ, Li KC, Xuan Y, Qin W, Sun H, Chan P.

source: Radiology. 2007 Jul;244(1):249-56

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Other research news

Report from the Canadian Pediatric Surveillance Program

The Canadian Pediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) is gathering data from more than 2,300 paediatricians and paediatric sub specialists across Canada about demyelination in children and have written a prelimary report of their findings.
To see a copy of the report please click here: CPSP_Report.pdf (28 kb)