2024-02-08 12:22:00
mp Groß-Gerau – Thanks to MRI: The earlier multiple sclerosis is detected, the greater the success of therapy can be. jarmoluk / pixabay.com
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nerve disease that can cause permanent disability. The earlier MS is detected, the easier it is to prevent the progression of the incurable disease. New MRI techniques offer hope in this regard.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nerve disease that can cause permanent disability. The earlier MS is detected, the easier it is to prevent the progression of the incurable disease. New MRI techniques offer hope: Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an innovative MRI procedure that makes the loss of myelin sheaths – an important feature of multiple sclerosis – visible in the brain more precisely than ever before.
This advance could revolutionize the early detection and monitoring of MS. By directly measuring the myelin content, the new method provides valuable information about the condition of the myelin sheaths in the brain and thus enables a more precise assessment of the progression of the disease. The first successful tests on tissue samples from MS patients and healthy volunteers demonstrate the potential of this innovation.
Although there is currently no cure for MS, there are now a variety of good treatment options. Early and effective treatment can slow the progression of the disease and ideally even stop it. Cognitive and motor skills can therefore be preserved in the long term. Exacerbations of existing symptoms and flare-ups characterized by the sudden appearance of new symptoms can be treated acutely with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs.
In order to achieve long-term success against the disease, course-modifying treatment is considered indispensable. This includes a variety of innovative active ingredients that target exactly the cause of the disease and regulate the dysfunctional immune system. An example of this is the antibody drug ofatumumab, which those affected can even administer themselves monthly using a self-injection pen.
A breakthrough in the treatment of the later form of MS (SPMS – secondary progressive multiple sclerosis) was achieved through the oral form of therapy with the active ingredient siponimod. This aims to preserve the motor and cognitive abilities of those affected for longer. To improve quality of life, course-modifying therapy is often supplemented by symptomatic treatment, such as medication or collaboration with physiotherapists, occupational therapists or sports therapists.
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