Definitely Good News!

As promised, the information my sister sent me is detailed below.

First, McGill/JGH researchers successfully reverse multiple sclerosis in animals.  According to the article, "A new experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) completely reverses the devastating autoimmune disorder in mice, and might work exactly the same way in humans, say researchers at the Jewish General Hospital Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and McGill University in Montreal."  Essentially, the treatment puts MS into remission by suppressing the immune response.  Very exciting!  Maybe we are on track to a cure! 

Second (for the women in the crowd), there is new research that may help to explain why pregnant women with MS tend to not have attacks/relapses during pregnancy.  We have known for some time that this occurs, but since pregnant women don't tend to volunteer to be research guinea pigs (rightfully so), we have not known why this is the case.  But, this article, helps to explain it.  The gist of the article is that

the expression of an enzyme known as pyruvate kinase is reduced in immune cells in pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women.  This study is "significant because the newly discovered mechanism points to a pathway that could be targeted for treatment. 'It may be possible to design drugs that mildly suppress pyruvate kinase activity as a means of replicating the immune status of normal pregnancy,' says Petty."  Exciting stuff going on here! 

Both of these articles give me hope that we may be working toward a cure!  At least we are learning more about the disease and trying to come up with plausible solutions!  This is good news - definitely more so than the info in the last post!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to my fundraising efforts for Walk MS 2011!  I have raised $2000!  Very exciting - this money can really make a difference!  Although, I have "reached" my goal, I would still really appreciate more donations!  It would be so great if I could go above and beyond my goal!  Any amount, great or small, is MUCH appreciated!  If you are interested in learning more, please visit my personal page!