By Irene Maher, Times Staff Writer Irene MaherTampa Bay Times In Print: Monday, September 17, 2012

Regardless of your political leanings, at least one group of Americans was grateful for the Republican and Democratic National Conventions: Those affected by MS.

People with multiple sclerosis appreciated the shout-out from Ann Romney, wife of presidential nominee Mitt Romney, at the Republican National Convention in Tampa and from first lady Michelle Obama with the Democrats a week later in Charlotte, N.C.

Romney has been living with MS since 1998. Obama’s father lived with the disease for about 30 years before his death at age 66. Both women related how their lives were affected by MS.

That kind of exposure does more than increase awareness of an often misunderstood disease that afflicts 400,000 Americans, experts said.

“In the case of Ann Romney, seeing someone at the podium, in the national spotlight, living an obviously busy, active life allows others to see how much you can accomplish with MS,” said Dr. Stanley Krolczyk, director of the multiple sclerosis division in the department of neurology at USF Health. “It puts a different face on the disease when celebrities, like Montel Williams and Clay Walker, for example, go public and talk about living with MS.”

Jzon Livingston Sr., a patient of Krolczyk’s, agrees. The 33-year-old self-employed IT administrator was diagnosed with MS four years ago. With treatment, he’s been able to continue working and keep up with his three children, ages 15, 13 and 11. Livingston was moved when Obama described watching the decline in her father.

“That’s what the average person needs to know about MS. It’s a hard disease to have,” he said. “Without knowledge of how it can affect lives, there’s no understanding. Without understanding, there’s no action.”

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that targets the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It can range from mild to severe, where the patient is paralyzed or blind. The disease is unpredictable, and symptoms may start suddenly and persist, then resolve. Sometimes, it seems to be dormant and patients may go months or years without a flare-up. Others, though, have symptoms all the time.

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Sep 18 2012

Care services for people with dementia need a radical overhaul, Alzheimer Scotland has said.

Many of Scotland’s estimated 84,000 sufferers do not receive the co-ordinated health and social support that is vital to help them live in the community, the charity said.

Carers, partners and families of sufferers are also lacking essential support as a result of the current “fragmented” care system.

Alzheimer Scotland wants to see a co-ordinator appointed to oversee the treatment and care of dementia patients. This may include access to psychological services and regular reviews of patients’ wellbeing.

It is one of a number of recommendations outlined in its new report, Delivering Integrated Dementia Care: The Eight Pillars Model of Community Support. The charity hopes the document will act as a blueprint for local authorities and NHS boards.

Dementia includes a range of brain diseases of which Alzheimer’s is the most common. It predominantly affects older people.

An ageing population means that, based on current estimates, the number of people with dementia will double within the next 25 years.

Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: “We wish to work alongside the Scottish Government, NHS Boards, local authorities and other bodies to ensure they use the Eight Pillars as a portal to deliver equal access to the best possible treatments and support for every person with dementia.

“Only through doing this can we be sure that we are using resources to the best possible effect to enable people to live in their own homes, in their own communities and with their families for as long as they choose.

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FOR Christmas in 2005, Diana Fayle’s mother Jan Riley drove herself to Warranwood to celebrate with her family.

“But by 2006, she didn’t even know what the telephone was or how to use it,” Ms Fayle said.

Mrs Riley, 69, had dementia – and the illness progressed quickly.

“Mum first started showing signs of memory loss in 2004, but by 2006 we knew there was something wrong,” she said.

A piano teacher for more than 40 years, Mrs Riley’s students began calling Ms Fayle about strange things that were happening during lessons.

The family first put in programs such as home help to keep Mrs Riley at home, but it was soon apparent she needed more care.

“She got to the point where she didn’t know the difference between day and night,” Ms Fayle said.

With a new baby herself, Ms Fayle said it was difficult finding the right home for her mother.

“We wanted to do what was right and best for her, and that meant making difficult decisions,” she said.

“Finding the right nursing home was paramount.”

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A new oral medication to treat patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis has shown considerable promise in two clinical trials, researchers announced Wednesday.

The medication is on track to become just the third oral drug available to MS patients, and potentially the safest and most effective, experts said. The second oral drug, called Aubagio, was approved just last week.

MS was virtually untreatable only two decades ago, but today nine “disease modifying” drugs are available for early-stage patients; a half-dozen more are in the late stages of development. Most patients in the early stage of the disease, a form called relapsing-remitting MS, take drugs intravenously.

The two new studies, published online in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that the drug BG-12, developed by Biogen Idec, reduced relapse rates in patients with relapsing MS by about 50 percent.

The drug also significantly reduced the frequency of new brain lesions often associated with these attacks, and slowed the progression of disease compared with a placebo.

The studies were Phase 3 trials, a last step on the road to drug approval. The Food and Drug Administration is required to make a decision about the drug’s approval before the end of this year.

“This drug is clearly quite effective in managing disease and reducing disability, and the safety profile looks quite good,” said Timothy Coetzee, the chief research officer at the

Multiple sclerosis is often a progressive disease in which the immune system damages neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

A majority of people with MS have relapsing-remitting MS, characterized by flare-ups that cause lesions in the brain to develop and neurological symptoms to emerge or worsen. Eventually, more than half of patients develop a progressive form of MS, leading to permanent disabilities.

Interferons, the drugs most commonly used in relapsing MS, reduce relapses by about 30 percent, and have not been shown to slow the progression of the disease and disability. The newly approved Aubagio also reduces relapses by about 30 percent, and it has the advantage of being an oral drug.

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MILWAUKEE, WI–(Marketwire – Sep 18, 2012) – Dementia Care Specialists (DCS) has recognized Provision Living at Godfrey, in Godfrey, IL as the third facility nationally to achieve the status of Distinguished Provider — the highest credential in dementia care.

DCS is a specialized offering of CPI, the worldwide leader in crisis prevention and intervention training. Launched in 2011, the Distinguished Provider program signifies a commitment to the DCS training philosophy and abilities-based approach, which helps improve function, safety, and quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer’s/dementia.

“When people look for a long-term care facility, they want to select a place that they trust will offer the best and most attentive care for themselves or their loved ones. That trust is exactly what the Distinguished Provider status communicates. It is a seal of approval from industry leaders,” said Kim Warchol, OTR/L, Dementia Care Specialists president and founder.

A Distinguished Provider demonstrates a commitment to high-quality, person-centered dementia care. This includes compliance with training standards and the implementation of CPI’s Dementia Capable Care training and principles. For individuals at all stages of Alzheimer’s/dementia, these principles promote the highest possible level of function, maximize health and safety, and help maintain dignity and quality of life.

With more than 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s/dementia, and many more projected over the coming years, the level of care provided by Provision Living at Godfrey can serve as an example and help elevate the standard of dementia care in the US.

In addition to recognizing facilities, DCS also recognizes therapists and care partners who demonstrate the passion, heart, and skill to deliver Dementia Capable Care. DCS welcomes both facilities and individual practitioners to apply for the Distinguished Provider program. The application and additional information are available at crisisprevention.com/dcs.

CPI is an international training organization committed to best practices and safe behavior management methods that focus on prevention. Through a variety of specialized offerings and innovative resources, CPI educates and empowers professionals to create safe and respectful work environments and enrich the lives of the individuals they serve.

For more information about CPI and DCS, visit crisisprevention.com.

For more information about Provision Living at Godfrey, visit http://www.provisionliving.com/godfrey-illinois-independent-assisted-living-Provision-Living/

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She said: These responses provide an intriguing insight into the reality of the UKs poor levels of diagnosis for Alzheimers Disease.

“The findings suggest an unwillingness to engage on both sides of the consulting room table, leading to a conspiracy of silence around this devastating disease.

“While companies like Lilly search for new medicines to help treat Alzheimers, we must all work together to reduce the stigma that is holding early and accurate diagnosis back.

Almost three-quarters of the doctors surveyed cited the lack of a definitive dementia test as a reason for their reluctance to raise the matter with patients. Telling early dementia from normal ageing can be difficult.

In the past GPs have sometimes refrainedgiving patients the bad news – even those with clear signs – because little could be done for them.

However, now drugs are available on the NHS that can slow the advance of Alzheimers, the most common form of dementia. The earlier they are given, the better.

Dementia is thought to affect around 800,000 people in Britain, but only four in 10 have received a formal diagnosis, according to The Alzheimers Society.

The survey results were released ahead of World Alzheimers Day, which is tomorrow (Friday).

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Prevention is the most powerful medicine in the fight against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, a leading international researcher says.

‘Prevention is very important, more than any drugs we have or plan to develop,’ said Serge Gauthier, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit at McGill University in Canada.

Dr Gauthier, who is in Australia for a series of seminars to coincide with Dementia Awareness Week, said the majority of dementia cases in those aged over 85 were preventable.

Small strokes were key contributors to dementia in this group, he said.

Making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption could reduce the risk of strokes, Dr Gauthier said.

‘This is where we can have an impact right now,’ he told AAP.

‘If you can prevent small strokes, you probably delay dementia by 10 years.’

However, another component of dementia and Alzheimer’s is the build-up of naturally occurring ameloid proteins in the brain.

Dr Gauthier said the role of ameloids is still unknown but it is thought the proteins may help protect against infection.

But in larger quantities the proteins can become problematic.

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University of Rochester neurologists as well as families touched by Parkinsons disease will be hitting the pavement this weekend to raise awareness and funds to help fight the disease.

The local Moving Day celebration, which includes a walk and other activities aimed at Parkinsons disease, is this Sunday, Sept. 16, on the grounds of Monroe Community College. While the actual walk begins at 10:30 a.m. and ends at noon, registration opens at 8:30 a.m. In addition to the walk, several events revolving around movement a key difficulty for patients with the disease will be held throughout the morning, including dance, yoga, Tai Chi, vocal and other physical exercises.

Moving Day is sponsored by the National Parkinson Foundation, which works to improve the quality of life for people with the disease through research, education and outreach. The goal of the Rochester Chapter of NPF this year is $65,000; so far the group has raised $26,000, already more than the total achieved last year. Funds will go to support the National Parkinson Foundation and its Rochester chapter, as well as Parkinsons research at the Medical Center.

Vicki Aspridy, registrar at the Simon School, is a member of the local chapter and part of the planning committee for the event. She is helping to organize Moving Day in honor of her mother, who had the disease late in life and passed away four years ago. A University team is being organized by neurologist Michelle Burack, M.D., Ph.D., who treats patients with the disease and also does research aimed at understanding and reducing the symptoms that patients experience.

For more information, visit http://MovingDayRochester.org.

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NOKOMIS, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

The market for effective new treatments for Parkinsons disease and other degenerative neurological disorders is strong and projected to grow sharply in coming years. Thats good news for Rainbow Coral Corp.s (RBCC) biotech subsidiary, Rainbow Biosciences, as it closes in on a deal with Amarantus Biosciences, Inc. (AMBS)

The increasing market potential for Parkinsons therapies is what initially attracted RBCCs attention to Amarantus work. The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation estimates that as many as one million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and 60,000 new patients are diagnosed each year. Medication costs per person are believed to be around $2,500 each year and the total economic impact is estimated to be around $25 billion in the U.S. alone.

Most encouraging of all, the market for Parkinsons drugs could grow to a value of $3.75 billion by 2015, according to a report last year by Visiongain.

Growth in the Parkinson’s treatment market is being driven by new breakthroughs, and RBCC is working to help advance the timeline for a cure for the debilitating disease. RBCC is currently negotiating a potential definitive agreement with Amarantus, a company that could be on the verge of promising new diagnostic and therapeutic tools for Parkinsons patients and their doctors.

Amarantus owns the rights to a promising therapeutic protein known as MANF that prevents a type of cell death called apoptosis that could be the beginning of a cure for the disease. The company also owns the license to a groundbreaking diagnostic platform called NuroPro for Parkinsons that allows neurologists to accurately diagnose and track the progression of Parkinsons disease in patients. This groundbreaking test could potentially be on market in certain regions as early as 2013.

For more information on RBCCs biotechnology initiatives, please visit http://www.rainbowbiosciences.com/investors.html.

About Rainbow BioSciences

Rainbow BioSciences, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rainbow Coral Corp. (OTCBB:RBCC). The company continually seeks out new partnerships with biotechnology developers to deliver profitable new medical technologies and innovations. For more information on our growth-oriented business initiatives, please visit our website at [www.RainbowBioSciences.com]. For investment information and performance data on the company, please visit http://www.RainbowBioSciences.com/investors.html.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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19 September 2012 Last updated at 13:13 ET By Adam Brimelow Health Correspondent, BBC News

A leading health research charity says drugs companies may “retreat” from dementia research without more support.

Alzheimer’s Research UK says more government hep is needed to ensure the industry does not “retreat” from the challenge of finding new drugs.

The warning follows disappointing results in recent clinical trials.

The pharmaceutical industry body, the ABPI, says there are over 200 medicines under development for Alzheimer’s.

It is estimated that more than 800,00 people in the UK have dementia. The majority have Alzheimer’s Disease.

The numbers affected are growing fast, and the search for new treatments ever-more urgent.

But this summer two big trials have reported disappointing results. The drugs – bapineuzumab and solanezumab – failed to show benefits that researchers had hoped to see.

Alzheimer’s Research UK fears companies may decide that putting resources into dementia is too risky. The charity’s science director, Dr Eric Karran, said the trial setbacks were “very disappointing”. He warned that companies may be deterred from investing in dementia.

“If you’re running a business and you have options to find important new medicines in cancer, in diabetes or in neuroscience inevitably I think you have to place your bets where ultimately you will get a better chance of a return on your investment.”

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Tom and Carol Reid, of Plum, have been living with Parkinsons disease for 17 years, but its how they are helping others with the disorder that has earned them a big honor.

They will be awarded with the Local Hero award Saturday from the Davis Phinney Foundation.

Carol Reid remembers when she started noticing a change in her husband.

He was losing facial expression. I didn’t know what that meant. I just felt like you know, you’re not responding to me, she said. He was drooling. His eyes were watering. He was falling often.

Tom Reid went to the family doctor and was given Claritin for his watery eyes.

It took two years to get a second opinion and a diagnosis of Parkinsons, a neurodegenerative disease.

I was in a classical case of denial, said Tom.

Symptoms involve loss of motor control, affecting speech and movement.

Tom was a captain in the Army before becoming a corporate attorney. He enjoyed public speaking and using what he and his wife called his command voice.

Parkinsons has changed that.

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Parkinsons disease may prove to be no match for a team of UH researchers at the Center of Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling.

CNRCS Director Jan-ke Gustafsson and professor Margaret Warner, along with their team of researchers, have found a link between beta-sitosterol present in many plants and good for preventing cholesterol absorption from ones diet and ALS-Parkinsons disease. This discovery may aid in the fight against Parkinsons and was recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Parkinsons disease is a chronic progressive neurological disease linked to a decrease in dopamine, production in the substantia nigra and marked by tremors in resting muscles, rigidity, slowness of movement, impaired balance and a shuffling gait.

If ALS-Parkinsons patients do have a defect in LXRbeta signaling, they will benefit from pharmaceuticals which target signaling of this receptor. Many such drugs are being developed at present, Warner said.

Authors Yubing Dai and Wanfu Wu researching in the CNRCS lab. | Amanda Hilow/The Daily Cougar

Gustafsson has had a long-standing interest in nuclear receptors because they are activated by the small molecules like hormones, and medication can be developed to increase or decrease their activity. In 1995, Gustafssons lab discovered two novel nuclear receptors one was LXRbeta. An efficient way to unmask the function of the newly discovered genes is to use gene technology to eliminate the hormone in mice and see what happens.

The receptor continues to show promise as a potential therapeutic target for this disease, as well as other neurological disorders, Gustafsson said in a press release for HealthNewsDigest.com. LXRbeta performs an important function in the development of the central nervous system, and our work indicates that the presence of LXRbeta promotes the survival of dopaminergic neurons, which are the main source of dopamine in the central nervous system.

During World War II, ALS-Parkinsons disease was prevalent in the Pacific Islands and Guam where there was a shortage of wheat. During that time, people had to make bread from cycad seeds, which contain a high level of beta-sitosterol.

The reason for the susceptibility of certain people in Guam to toxicity from beta-sitosterol remained a mystery until we developed the LXRbeta knockout mice, Warner said. These mice develop ALS-Parkinsons disease spontaneously as they age, and the disease is made worse if beta-sitosterol is added to their diet.

However, it was discovered that LXRbeta knockout mice did not need to be fed beta-sitosterol to develop Parkinsons disease. Meaning UH researchers have to look for the possibility that people develop ALS- Parkinsons disease because of defective LXRbeta signaling.

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Sanofi SA has won U.S. approval for its multiple sclerosis pill Aubagio – one of the two treatments for the chronic disease that could return the French drugmaker to growth after several blockbuster drugs lost patent protection.

The drug has been shown to be less effective than some rivals but has milder side effects and analysts say it could find favor among newly diagnosed patients. Around 35 percent to 40 percent of multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers prefer to take no medication rather than face unwanted side effects.

“In a clinical trial, the relapse rate for patients using Aubagio was about 30 percent lower than the rate for those taking a placebo,” Russell Katz, director of the Division of Neurology Products at the Food and Drug Administration, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Aubagio is expected to launch on the U.S. market in a few weeks, a spokeswoman for Sanofi unit Genzyme said.

Multiple sclerosis, which has no cure, affects 2.5 million people worldwide. It is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system and can lead to numbness, paralysis and loss of vision.

MS drugs Gilenya by Novartis and Biogen Idec Inc’s BG-12 are expected to dominate a market that JPMorgan analysts predict growing to $14 billion in 2015 from $9.6 billion last year.

Aubagio is seen grabbing a much smaller chunk of this market, reaching modest sales of $353 million in the United States and five major European countries by 2020, according to business intelligence firm Datamonitor.

Cheuvreux analyst Marcel Brand, who has a more optimistic forecast, predicts peak sales of Aubagio of 1.48 billion euros by 2018. “Although Aubagio is not as effective on relapse rates as Gilenya, it’s free of its longer-term side effects,” he said.

Patients taking Gilenya have to be monitored because the drug causes the heart rate to slow down in the first hours after ingestion.

European regulators are expected to give their response to Aubagio in the first quarter of 2013.

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The U.S. FDA this week approved a once-a-day pill for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The pill, being branded as Aubagio by Sanofi S.A., is specifically for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of MS.

In a clinical trial, the relapse rate for patients using Aubagio was about 30 percent lower than the rate for those taking a placebo, said Dr. Russell Katz, director of the division of neurology products in the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Multiple sclerosis can impair movement, sensation, and thinking, so it is important to have a variety of treatment options available to patients.

According to the National Institutes of Health, MS is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. It disrupts the communication between the brain and the body, causing motor skill disruption for nearly every part of the body, depending on which nerves in the brain are damaged.

As for the drug itself, side effects seen during drug trials included diarrhea, abnormal liver tests, nausea, and hair loss. Also, the box warnings for the drug warn of possible liver problems and fetal harm, including the risk of birth defects. Doctors will have to check patients liver function and give a pregnancy test before starting treatment with Aubagio.

Many people living with MS struggle with the additional burden of injectable therapies administered daily to weekly, said Dr. Aaron Miller, medical director at the center for multiple sclerosis at Mount Sinai Medical Center. The FDAs approval of Aubagio, a new oral treatment option, is an encouraging advancement for the MS community and may be a valuable treatment for people living with this often debilitating disease.

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PARKINSONS & MEMORY: In addition to the motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, there are also cognitive symptoms which may be evident even in the early stages of the disease. These may include deficits in executive function (especially planning and attention), set-shifting (ability to alternate between two or more tasks), and memory. Approximately 25%-30% of Parkinson’s patients develop dementia. It is not yet known whether dementia is actually a symptom of Parkinson’s disease or whether patients with Parkinson’s disease are for some reason also at higher risk for dementia. A large number of Parkinson’s patients also experience psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, or sleep disorders.

Because Parkinson’s disease damages neurons in the substantia nigra which produce dopamine, treatment usually involves drugs which work to counteract this shortage of dopamine. Parkinson’s patients may benefit from treatment with several kinds of drugs simultaneously. These drugs can often combat the motor symptoms for a long time, but as the disease progresses and the substantia nigra continues to degrade, the drugs eventually become less effective.

Some patients whose motor symptoms cannot be controlled by medication undergo brain surgery to destroy portions of the brain regions responsible for some of the motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, or benefit from deep brain stimulation (DBS) — using thin wires to stimulate electrical activity in the brain. There has also been controversial research involving implantation of cells from aborted fetuses into the brains of Parkinson’s patients in an attempt to regrow neurons in the substantia nigra; more recently, scientists are exploring the possibility of using stem cells isolated from healthy adults or grown in the laboratory. As yet, this work is still highly experimental. (Source: Memorylossonline.com)

UNIVERSITY OF MARLYAND STUDY: Researchers are looking to study the benefits of exercise for fitness, walking, balance, and memory. They are still enrolling participants, and those eligible for the study are people who have been diagnosed with Parkinsons disease and have mild to moderate gait or balance difficulty. The study is being conducted at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

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Editor’s Choice Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis Also Included In: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals Article Date: 15 Sep 2012 – 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Aubagio (teriflunomide) Approved For Multiple Sclerosis Treatment, FDA

1.5 (2 votes)

According to experts, the Multiple Sclerosis prescribing market is worth $12 billion annually. If Aubagio becomes popular, it has the potential to become a major earner for its makers, Sanofi-Aventis. However, it is entering a highly-competitive market with very effective existing medications. Novartis’ Gilenya and Tysabri from Elan Corp are said to be more effective than teriflunomide.

Director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Russell Katz, M.D., director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said:

Multiple sclerosis is a long-term autoimmune, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Communication between the brain and other parts of the body are disrupted. Multiple Sclerosis is one of the most common causes of neurological disability in young adults. Twice as many females live with MS than males.

People with MS have episodes of relapses (worsening function), followed by remissions (recovery). Eventually, remission periods may be incomplete as the disease progresses. Aubagio has been approved for the initial phases of the disease.

According to clinical trial results, the following side effects among people taking Aubagio were reported: hair loss, nausea, abnormal liver test results, and diarrhea.

Aubagio contains a Boxed Warning explaining to doctors and their patients that there is a risk of liver problems, which may sometimes be fatal, as well as birth defects. Doctors should carry out blood tests beforehand to make sure liver function is normal. During treatment with Aubagio, liver functions tests should be performed periodically.

The Boxed Warning also alerts prescribers and their patients about some animal studies which linked the drug with a higher risk of fetal harm. That is why Aubagio is labeled as a Pregnancy Category X drug, meaning that female patients of childbearing age should have negative pregnancy test results (and use effective birth control therapy) before being considered for Aubagio treatment.

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By Matt McMillen WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Sept. 13, 2012 — The FDA has approved Aubagio (teriflunomide), a new drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The once-a-day tablet will be prescribed to adults with relapsing forms of the chronic, incurable disease.

In a two-year study, the Aubagio reduced yearly relapses by nearly a third compared to placebo. It also slowed the progression of the disease.

“We are greatly encouraged to see a new oral therapeutic option become available to people living with MS,” said Timothy Coetzee, PhD, chief research officer at the National MS Society, in a news release issued by the drug’s developer, Genzyme.

MS is the most common disabling neurological disease among young adults, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. About 400,000 people in the U.S. have MS. As many as two-thirds of them are women. The disease is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.

MS often gradually worsens over time. It causes fatigue, pain, vision and muscle problems, and other difficulties.

Aubagio does not come without risks. The drug’s label will include a boxed warning that alerts to the risk of potentially fatal liver problems. The label advises that patients’ liver function should be tested before starting Aubagio and while on the drug.

The box warning also mentions the risk of birth defects. Women should not be pregnant when they start the drug and must use birth control while taking it.

Other possible side effects include diarrhea, abnormal liver tests, nausea, and hair loss.

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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/k4b4f3/global_multiple_sc) has announced the addition of the “Global Multiple Sclerosis Drug Pipeline Capsule – 2012″ report to their offering.

This report is an outline of all the key research and development (R&D) activities of the global Multiple Sclerosis drug market. It covers information on key pipeline molecules in various stages of R&D including all the phases of clinical trials, preclinical research, and drug discovery. The report is up-to-date with full coverage of the licensing activities and partnerships.

This report helps executives to keep a track of their competitors and understand their pipeline molecules. The information presented in this report can be used for identifying the partners, prioritizing, evaluating opportunities, developing business development strategies, and executing in-licensing and out-licensing deals.

The report provides information on pipeline molecules by company and mechanism of action across the different stages of R&D. It includes registered / preregistered stage, phase 3 clinical trial, phase 2 clinical trial, phase 1 clinical trial, preclinical research, and drug discovery. It also provides information on pipeline molecules developed in leading geographies including the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, U.K., Italy, and Spain by various stages of R&D. Licensing activities and partnerships in the Multiple Sclerosis drug market is thoroughly covered by company and licensee with the deal summary.

Key Features of the Report:

– Multiple Sclerosis: Overview

– Multiple Sclerosis Drug Pipeline Overview

– Multiple Sclerosis Phase 3 Clinical Trial Drug Pipeline Insights

– Multiple Sclerosis Phase 2 Clinical Trial Drug Pipeline Insights

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — As evidence increases showing that there may be a connection between hearing loss and dementia, the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is urging hearing checks among Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. Because most hearing loss can be managed with hearing aids, BHI also is encouraging those with hearing loss to be fitted with hearing aids when appropriate. BHI’s outreach efforts come in recognition of World Alzheimer’s DaySeptember 21.

To make it easier for anyone to determine if they need a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing healthcare professional, BHI is offering a free, quick, and confidential online hearing check atwww.hearingcheck.org.

Several studies have looked at the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive function. One such study,conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging, and published in theArchives of Neurology, found that seniors with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time than those who retain their hearing. The study also found that the more hearing loss they had, the higher their likelihood of developing dementia.

According to the Johns Hopkins press release on the study, the reason for the link between the two conditions is unknown, but the investigators suggest that a common pathology may underlie both or that the strain of decoding sounds over the years may overwhelm the brains of people with hearing loss, leaving them more vulnerable to dementia. They also speculate that hearing loss could lead to dementia by making individuals more socially isolated, a known risk factor for dementia and other cognitive disorders.

According to BHI, these research findings should prompt people to take hearing loss seriously. BHI encourages Boomers and Gen Xers especially to get their hearing tested by a hearing healthcare professional who can provide a thorough examination and, if needed, fit them for hearing aids.

In an effort to improve the quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s disease, BHI advocates that hearing checks, hearing healthcare, and hearing aids when appropriate, be included in their regimen of care. According to the Institute, unaddressed hearing loss can present an added, unnecessary strain on individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, and also on caregivers who suffer from hearing loss themselves. BHI also advocates that hearing checks and hearing healthcare be part of the diagnostic process.

Studies show that although a significantly higher percentage of people with Alzheimer’s disease may have hearing loss, they’re also much less likely to receive attention for their hearing needs than their normally aging peers.

Research also shows that the use of hearing aids among Alzheimer’s patients with hearing loss, in combination with appropriate aural rehabilitation in a multidisciplinary setting, can help alleviate the symptoms of depression, passivity, negativism, disorientation, anxiety, social isolation, feelings of helplessness, loss of independence and general cognitive decline.

Because healthy hearing helps people remain socially and cognitively engaged, BHI urges all Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and others to make hearing checks a regular part of their preventive healthcare.

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ScienceDaily (Sep. 13, 2012) Many people with multiple sclerosis for years have taken the natural supplement Gingko biloba, believing it helps them with cognitive problems associated with the disease.

But the science now says otherwise. A new study published in the journal Neurology says Gingko biloba does not improve cognitive performance in people with multiple sclerosis. The research was published in the Sept. 5, 2012, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The current study was a more extensive look at the question after a smaller 2005 pilot study suggested there might have been some cognitive benefits in MS patients using the supplement. That study found that Gingko seemed to improve attention in MS patients with cognitive impairment.

But the larger follow-up study, conducted with patients at the Portland and Seattle Veterans Affairs medical centers, found no cognitive benefits to using Gingko.

“It’s important for scientists to continue to analyze what might help people with cognitive issues relating to their MS,” said Jesus Lovera, M.D., the study’s lead author, a former fellow at the Portland VA Medical Center and former instructor in Oregon Health & Science University’s Department of Neurology, where he did much of the work on the study. Lovera is now with the Department of Neurology at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

“We wanted to follow up on the earlier findings that suggested there may be some benefit. But we believe this larger study settles the question: Gingko simply doesn’t improve cognitive performance with MS patients,” said Lovera.

About one-half of people with MS will develop cognitive problems, and those cognitive problems can be debilitating in some people, said Dennis Bourdette, M.D., a co-author of the study, co-director of the VA MS Center of Excellence-West at the Portland VA Medical Center and chairman of the OHSU Department of Neurology. The most common problems relate to memory, attention and concentration, and information processing.

There is no known treatment that can improve cognition with MS patients — which is partly why MS patients and researchers had hoped that Gingko biloba could help.

Lovera was also the lead author in the 2005 study, conducted at OHSU. That study included 39 participants who were given Gingko biloba or a placebo. The new study included 120 participants given Gingko or a placebo.

The study was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service.

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Gingko biloba does not improve cognition in multiple sclerosis patients, study finds

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