What we learned on Friday (27 October) at ECTRIMS–ACTRIMS
In the last 60 years, the incidence of MS in Denmark has doubled in women
...in the same time period, the incidence has only modestly increased in men. Could lifestyle changes in the female population such as fewer childbirths, increased occurrence of obesity in childhood or youth, and increased cigarette consumption play a role?
Exercise increases connectivity in the brain
A 3-month aerobic exercise programme led to functional and structural connectivity of the brain network in patients with RRMS compared with a control group.
J.P. Stellman et al. Parallel session 13: 234
There’s another reason to avoid pesticides
The risk of developing paediatric-onset MS is increased following exposure to environmental toxins during early childhood such as rodenticides and pesticides.
Paris is home to one of the world’s smartest orangutans
Wattana the orangutan has lived in Paris’ Jardin des Plantes zoo since the mid-nineties and can sew, draw, and tie and untie complex knots.
Different forms of MS have differing effects on the sense of smell
A standardised olfactory test was performed in patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Over 80% of patients with PPMS had olfactory dysfunction compared with only around 30% of patients with RRMS. This association was independent of disease duration and disability status, but can it help us learn more about the pathogenesis of MS?
A glove can be useful beyond keeping your fingers warm
Measuring disability in MS currently relies mostly on the EDSS score, which does not assess upper limb function and cognition. Gallo et al. reported using an engineered glove to measure finger motor impairment and showed that this test correlated with disability and cognitive function in patients with MS.
Changing the bugs in your gut may help in MS
The gut microbiome is a hot topic at ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS this year. Makkawi et al. have presented a case report of a woman with secondary progressive MS and an EDSS score of 6.0 who achieved disease stability for over 10 years following a faecal transplant.
Video games can be part of rehabilitation therapy
A small RCT of 59 patients has assessed the benefit of using video games as a form of rehabilitation therapy in patients with MS. It was shown to improve walking, upper extremity function, core stability and cognitive functions, and these differences were not significantly different from the improvements seen with conventional rehabilitation therapy.
The catacombs of Paris contain the remains of approximately 6 million people
Underneath the avenues and boulevards of southern Paris sits a shadowland of underground tunnels and galleries.
Body size has an impact on prognosis and risk of MS in women with CIS?
Results from the Barcelona CIS cohort have shown an association of being overweight at menarche with a younger age at CIS and an increased risk of confirmed MS.
