Leukocyte Telomere Length Predicts Severe Disability in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Correlates with Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects the nervous system. Peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) are potential biomarkers of neurological disability and neural damage. Our objective was to assess the LTL and mtDNA-CN in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). We included 10 healthy controls, 75 patients with RRMS, 50 of whom had an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) from 0 to 3 (mild to moderate disability), and 25 had an EDSS of 3.5 to 7 (severe disability). We use the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) technique to quantify absolute LTL and absolute mtDNA-CN. ANOVA test show differences between healthy control vs. severe disability RRMS and mild-moderate RRMS vs. severe disability RRMS (p = 0.0130). LTL and mtDNA-CN showed a linear correlation in mild-moderate disability RRMS (r = 0.378, p = 0.007). Furthermore, we analyzed LTL between RRMS groups with a ROC curve, and LTL can predict severe disability (AUC = 0.702, p = 0.0018, cut-off < 3.0875 Kb, sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 62%), whereas the prediction is improved with a logistic regression model including LTL plus age (AUC = 0.762, p = 0.0001, sensitivity = 79.17%, specificity = 80%). These results show that LTL is a biomarker of disability in RRMS and is correlated with mtDNA-CN in mild-moderate RRMS patients.

Genetic Variant HLA-DRB1*0403 and Therapeutic Response to Disease-Modifying Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and demyelinating disease with an autoimmune origin, which leads to neurodegeneration and progressive disability. Approximately 30 to 50% of patients do not respond optimally to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), and therapeutic response may be influenced by genetic factors such as genetic variants. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the association of the HLA-DRB1*0403 genetic variant and therapeutic response to DMTs in MS. We included 105 patients with MS diagnosis. No evidence of disease activity based on the absence of clinical relapse, disability progression or radiological activity (NEDA-3) was used to classify the therapeutic response. Patients were classified as follows: (a) controls: patients who achieved NEDA-3; (b) cases: patients who did not achieve NEDA-3. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. HLA-DRB1*0403 genetic variant was analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using TaqMan probes. NEDA-3 was achieved in 86.7% of MS patients treated with DMTs. Genotype frequencies were GG 50.5%, GA 34.3%, and AA 15.2%. No differences were observed in the genetic variant AA between patients who achieved NEDA-3 versus patients who did not achieve NEDA-3 (48.7% vs. 43.1%, p = 0.6). We concluded that in Mexican patients with MS, HLA-DRB1*0403 was not associated with the therapeutic response to DMTs.

Validation of the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) in individuals with multiple sclerosis from Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is observed in 43-70 % of Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. One of the most widely used batteries for cognitive assessment in this population is the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS). The objective of this study was to validate and assess the reliability of the BICAMS in a Mexican population with MS and to obtain and provide regression-based norms. METHODS: One hundred healthy controls (HCs) and 100 patients with multiple sclerosis participated in the present study, and groups were matched for age, years of education and sex. Subjects completed all three tests of the BICAMS. Test-retest measures were obtained from 30 patients to test reliability. RESULTS: The sample´s average age was 43.39 ± 6.03 years old, and the average years of education was 12.55 ± 2.52 years. Approximately 63 % of the participants were female. The groups did not differ in age, years of education, or sex. The MS group performed significantly worse than the HCs group on all three neuropsychological tests. A significant difference was observed for the SDMT (t = 10.166; p=<0.001), CVLT-II (t = 10.949; p=<0.001), and BVMT-R (t = 2.636; p = 0.009). For all comparisons, the effect size (d) for each test was calculated as follows: SDMT= 0.58 and CVLT-II= 0.61. The test-retest coefficients for each test were as follows: SDMT: r = 0.95; CVLT-II: r = 0.84; and BVMT-R = 0.81. CONCLUSION: The BICAMS can provide information on cognitive impairment in MS patients, and this information can be used by neuropsychologists for cognitive rehabilitation in different domains.

Risk Factors Associated with Adverse Events Leading to Methotrexate Withdrawal in Elderly Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in elderly population represents a challenge for physicians in terms of therapeutic management. Methotrexate (MTX) is the first-line treatment among conventional synthetic-disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cs-DMARDs); however, it is often associated with adverse events (AEs). Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors of MTX discontinuation due to AEs in elderly patients with RA in a long-term retrospective cohort study. Methods: Clinical sheets from elderly RA patients taking MTX from an outpatient rheumatology consult in a university centre were reviewed. To assess MTX persistence, we used Kaplan-Meir curves and Cox regression models to identify the risk of withdrawing MTX due to adverse events. Results: In total, 198 elderly RA patients who reported using MTX were included. Of them, the rates of definitive suspension of MTX due to AEs were 23.0% at 5 years, 35.6% at 10 years and 51.7% at 15 years. The main organs and system involved were gastrointestinal (15.7%) and mucocutaneous (3.0%). Factors associated with withdrawing MTX due to AEs were MTX dose ≥ 15 mg/wk (adjusted HR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.22-4.96, p = 0.012); instead, the folic acid supplementation was protective for withdrawal (adjusted HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.16-0.49, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Higher doses of MTX increase the risk of withdrawals in elderly RA, while folic acid supplementation reduces the risk. Therefore, physicians working in therapeutic management for elderly patients using MTX must focus on using lower MTX doses together with the concomitant prescription of folic acid.

Memory performance and fMRI signal in presymptomatic familial Alzheimer's disease.

Rare autosomal dominant mutations result in familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) with a relatively consistent age of onset within families. This provides an estimate of years until disease onset (relative age) in mutation carriers. Increased AD risk has been associated with differences in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity during memory tasks, but most of these studies have focused on possession of apolipoprotein E allele 4 (APOE4), a risk factor, but not causative variant, of late-onset AD. Evaluation of fMRI activity in presymptomatic FAD mutation carriers versus noncarriers provides insight into preclinical changes in those who will certainly develop AD in a prescribed period of time. Adults from FAD mutation-carrying families (nine mutation carriers, eight noncarriers) underwent fMRI scanning while performing a memory task. We examined fMRI signal differences between carriers and noncarriers, and how signal related to fMRI task performance within mutation status group, controlling for relative age and education. Mutation noncarriers had greater retrieval period activity than carriers in several AD-relevant regions, including the left hippocampus. Better performing noncarriers showed greater encoding period activity including in the parahippocampal gyrus. Poorer performing carriers showed greater retrieval period signal, including in the frontal and temporal lobes, suggesting underlying pathological processes.

Association of the BDNF rs6265 Polymorphism with Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study in Mexican Patients.

Cognition is a set of brain processes that allow the individual to interact with their environment. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the cerebral white matter of the brain cortex and spinal cord, leading to cognitive impairment (CI) in 40-60% of the patients. Many studies have determined that CI is linked to genetic risk factors. We aimed to evaluate the association between BDNF gene rs6265 polymorphism and cognitive impairment in Mexican patients with MS by performing a case-control study. Mestizo-Mexican patients diagnosed with MS based on McDonald's criteria were enrolled. Cases were MS patients with CI (n = 31) while controls were MS patients without CI (n = 31). To measure cognitive functioning in MS patients, a neuropsychological screening battery for MS (NSB-MS) was used. Genotyping of the rs6265 gene variant was performed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) with TaqMan probes. The results showed no statistically significant differences in sociodemographic and disease variables between case and control groups. qPCR analysis showed that there were 68% Val/Val wild-type homozygotes, 29% Val/Met polymorphic heterozygotes, and 3% Met/Met polymorphic homozygotes. The presence of BDNF gene rs6265 polymorphism showed an increased probability (3.6 times) of global cognitive impairment.

Risk factors associated with permanent disability in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. In NMOSD, a relapse results in increased disability. OBJECTIVE: To assess risk factors associated with permanent disability (PD) in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). METHODS: We evaluated 34 cases (who developed permanent disability) and 33 controls. The assessment included the following variables: sociodemographic data and characteristics of the disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust variables associated with PD. RESULTS: fifty-one percent developed PD during follow-up; 15 (22%) developed permanent visual disability, 13 (19%) developed permanent motor disability and 6 (9%) were restricted to wheelchair. Factors associated with PD in the crude analysis were: age at onset ≥ 50 years (OR 3.95, 95% IC 1.12-13.94, p= 0.032), time from onset to diagnosis ≥ 12 months (OR 3.30, 95% IC 1.13-9.64, p= 0.029), time from onset to treatment ≥ 60 months (OR 4.16, 95% IC 1.03-16.85, p= 0.045), EDSS ≥ 4.0 at the first appointment (OR 3.21, 95% IC 1.18-8.76, p= 0.022) and severe relapses during disease evolution (OR 5.72, 95% IC 1.98-16.57, p= 0.001). Factors associated with PD in the adjusted analysis were: age at onset ≥ 50 years (OR 5.82, 95% IC 1.30-26.05, p= 0.021), time from onset to diagnosis ≥ 12 months (OR 5.43, 95% IC 1.47-20.08, p= 0.011) and severe relapses during disease evolution (OR 6.65, 95% IC 1.98-22.31, p= 0.002). CONCLUSION: Half of patients with NMOSD may develop PD during disease evolution. Age of onset ≥ 50 years, delay to diagnosis ≥12 months and initial EDSS ≥ 4.0 constitute the strongest risk factors for PD.

Using hypnoanalysis and guided imagery to identify and manage emotional aspects of multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: To date, no studies have used hypnosis to examine and manage the potential emotional causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the scientific field; therefore, we decided to compare the effectiveness of hypnoanalysis and guided imagery for determining and manage these emotional causes. METHODS: Fifteen participants with severe MS were included and assigned into 2 groups: hypnoanalysis and guided imagery. In the hypnoanalysis group, the participants underwent 10 hypnotic sessions to understand events related to the cause of the disease, which were restructured (the events were modified by adding the psychological resources that each involved person needed); in addition, other techniques were used to investigate the causes and solutions according to the participants' unconscious. The guided imagery group received 10 group sessions of body relaxation and guided imagery, which were recorded for practice at home. Outcome measures, namely, disability (the Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS), quality of life (QoL, measured with the SF-36) and number of relapses, were evaluated 4 months previous the intervention, at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months later. RESULTS: Hypnoanalysis revealed that stressful events and psychoemotional maladaptive patterns acted as causal, detonating, or aggravating factors of disease, and psychoemotional changes were the most frequent and varied solutions. No changes were observed in disability between the two groups. The guided imagery group showed an improvement in 2 subscales of QoL when compared with the hypnoanalysis group (which disappeared at the follow-up); this difference is probably due to the increased number of sessions and probably due to psychoemotional maladaptive patterns being more frequently mentioned than difficult circumstances in life and/or unsolved past events. However, the techniques used in hypnoanalysis were effective in understanding the potential emotional causes of MS, which showed high intra- and inter-participant consistency. CONCLUSIONS: The daily use of guided imagery overcame the restructuring of negative past events to improve QoL in patients with MS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12618002024224 (retrospectively registered).

Validation of the Norma Latina neuropsychological assessment battery in individuals with multiple sclerosis in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Between 50-60% of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients have cognitive alterations. There are several batteries to assess cognitive impairments in MS, however, few exist for Latin Americans. The objective of this study is to evaluate the neuropsychological profile of Mexican people with MS (PwMS) and assess the utility of Norma Latina, a new battery for cognitive assessment in Latin America, in differentiating cognitive test performance between PwMS and healthy controls (HCs). METHODS: 100 PwMS and 100 HCs from Mexico were evaluated with the Norma Latina battery. The following analyses were conducted: 1) low-percentiles of each participant were calculated, 2) Area Under the Curve was used to determine whether the battery discriminated between PwMS and HCs, 3) four composite scores were calculated, and student's t-test was used to compare groups according to these domains. RESULTS: PwMS obtained a greater number of impaired scores compared to HCs, principally in executive function. The battery successfully discriminated between PwMS and HCs, with the strongest capacity to discriminate in the executive functions, and the weakest in memory. CONCLUSION: Establishing validation of a neuropsychological battery for Mexican PwMS will help to more accurately detect cognitive alterations, which will guide the decisions of professionals in terms of cognitive rehabilitation.

Clinical practice patterns in multiple sclerosis management: Mexican consensus recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis affects more than 2 million people. Clinical decisions are performed under evidence-based medicine. The appearance of new disease-modifying therapies and changes in diagnostic criteria complicates the decision-making process in clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the criteria for radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) by Mexican neurologists in a real-world setting. METHODS: A two-round modified Delphi method (RAND/UCLA) was applied. RESULTS: In RIS, LP, spinal cord MRI and VEP should be included in diagnostic testing; DMT initiation is not necessary. A follow-up MRI within 3 months are recommended. In CIS, corticosteroid therapy should be initiated at first relapse; both simple and Gd-enhanced MRI is mandatory. LP, selective blood tests, and NMO-IgG/AQP4 antibodies should be performed as complementary. IFN beta or GA were the most suitable DMTs for treating high-risk CIS. Patients with RRMS should begin with DMT at diagnosis, include a follow-up MRI if a patient had 2 relapses within 6 months. GA and oral DMTs are the most eligible DMTs for mild RRMS. Monoclonal antibodies-based therapy is chosen when disability is present. Radiological criteria for switching DMT included >1 Gd+ lesion and >2 new T2 lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Although many coincidences, there are still many hollows in the medical attention of MS in Mexico. This consensus recommendation could be helpful to implement better evidence-based recommendations and guidelines in a real-world setting.

Oxidative stress is increased in serum from Mexican patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the oxidative stress markers in serum from patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Blood samples from healthy controls and 22 patients 15 women (7 aged from 20 to 30 and 8 were > 40 years old) and 7 men (5 aged from 20 to 30 and 2 were > 40 years old) fulfilling the McDonald Criteria and classified as having Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis accordingly with Lublin were collected for oxidative stress markers quantification. RESULTS: Nitric oxide metabolites (nitrates/nitrites), lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde plus 4-hidroxialkenals), and glutathione peroxidase activity were significantly increased in serum of subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in comparison with that of healthy controls. These data support the hypothesis that multiple sclerosis is a component closely linked to oxidative stress.

Assessment and Impact of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview.

Cognitive impairment affects 40⁻60% of patients with multiple sclerosis. It may be present early in the course of the disease and has an impact on a patient's employability, social interactions, and quality of life. In the last three decades, an increasing interest in diagnosis and management of cognitive impairment has arisen. Neuropsychological assessment and neuroimaging studies focusing on cognitive impairment are now being incorporated as primary outcomes in clinical trials. However, there are still key uncertainties concerning the underlying mechanisms of damage, neural basis, sensitivity and validity of neuropsychological tests, and efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The present article aimed to present an overview of the assessment, neural correlates, and impact of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.

Association between the -844 G>A, HindIII C>G, and 4G/5G PAI-1 Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Multiple Sclerosis in Western Mexican Population.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease, where fibrin deposition and the impairment in its degradation have been shown to play an important role in the demyelination process. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a serine protease that enhances the conversion of plasminogen into its active form plasmin, the principal tPA inhibitor is the PAI-1. Several PAI-1 polymorphisms impact its gene expression and protein activity. Furthermore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between the - 844 G>A, HindIII C>G, and 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to MS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group included 400 Mexican mestizo subjects: 200 unrelated patients and 200 unrelated individuals identified as control subjects. The analysis of PAI-1 polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: A significant association was found between the CG genotype of the HindIII C>G PAI-1 polymorphism and susceptibility to MS (OR = 1.58, p = 0.03); moreover, the frequency of 5G allele and 5G/5G genotype of the 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism was statistically significant (OR = 1.36 and p = 0.04 and OR = 2.43 and p = 0.02, respectively). With respect to the relation between the scores of progression (EDSS) and severity (MSSS), no association was found between EDSS and genotypes of the PAI-1 polymorphisms analyzed. Regarding MSSS, male that carries genotype GA of the -844 G>A and genotype 4G/5G of the 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphisms showed a significant association with an increase of media of MSSS in comparison with females (p = 0.01 in both cases).

Low levels of alpha-synuclein in peripheral tissues are related to clinical relapse in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a pilot cross-sectional study.

The protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) has been linked to neuroinflammatory conditions. We investigated whether the presence of α-Syn in peripheral tissues is a surrogate of brain inflammatory status in a small group of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in a pilot cross-sectional study. Skin biopsies and peripheral blood were sampled from 34 healthy controls and 23 MS patients for measurement of α-Syn levels. Within the RRMS group 15 patients were in remission, and 8 patients were in the relapsing phase. The protein α-Syn was evaluated by means of immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry in skin and nucleated blood cells, respectively. In the skin, α-Syn levels were lower in relapsing MS than in the other groups, both in positive area (p = .021) and staining intensity (p = .004). In blood, the percentage of α-Syn-positive lymphocytes and monocytes were not statistically different between study groups. Moreover, the use of systemic steroids did not affect α-Syn positivity in MS-relapse patients. Finally, epidermic Langerhans cells did not stain positively for α-Syn. Overall, the levels of α-Syn positivity were lower in inflammatory relapse of RRMS patients when measured in peripheral tissues. We discuss the role of α-Syn levels in inflammation according to the obtained results.

[The effect of ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid on cognitive impairment, total antioxidant power and isoprostane serum]. / Efecto del ibuprofeno y ácido acetilsalicílico sobre el deterioro cognitivo, poder antioxidante total e isoprostanos en suero.

INTRODUCTION: There are controversial studies on the prevention of Alzheimer's disease with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid on cognitive impairment, serum total antioxidant power (TAP) and isoprostane (8-iso-PGF2alpha). METHODS: From April 2004 to February 2006, a Folstein mini-mental state (MMSE), Syndrome Kurtz Test (SKT) and a geriatric depression scale (Yasevage) were applied to eighteen, 55-56 years old eligible women. All women (n= 18) with normal cognitive state were randomized to ibuprofen 400 mg per day (n= 9) and acetylsalicylic acid 500 mg per day (n= 9) for one year. Serum TAP and 8-iso-PGF2alpha were performed at baseline, after six months and one year of treatment. RESULTS: After one year of treatment with acetylsalicylic acid five women (55.6%) raised their score 4 points in MMSE compared with 3 points increased (33.3%) showed by the ibuprofen group. TAP increased (p=0.01) and 8-iso-PGF2alpha reduced (p=0.01) in both groups compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Both drugs improved the cognitive state andoxidative status of our population.

Biological and nonbiological complex drugs for multiple sclerosis in Latin America: regulations and risk management.

Biological drugs and nonbiological complex drugs with expired patents are followed by biosimilars and follow-on drugs that are supposedly similar and comparable with the reference product in terms of quality, safety and efficacy. Unlike simple molecules that can be copied and reproduced, biosimilars and follow-on complex drugs are heterogeneous and need specific regulations from health and pharmacovigilance agencies. A panel of 14 Latin American experts on multiple sclerosis from nine different countries met to discuss the recommendations regarding biosimilars and follow-on complex drugs for treating multiple sclerosis. Specific measures relating to manufacturing, therapeutic equivalence assessment and pharmacovigilance reports need to be implemented before commercialization. Physical, chemical, biological and immunogenic characterizations of the new product need to be available before clinical trials start. The new product must maintain the same immunogenicity as the original. Automatic substitution of biological and complex drugs poses unacceptable risks to the patient.

Role of the blood-brain barrier in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system associated with demyelination and axonal loss eventually leading to neurodegeneration. MS exhibits many of the hallmarks of an inflammatory autoimmune disorder including breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a complex organization of cerebral endothelial cells, pericytes and their basal lamina, which are surrounded and supported by astrocytes and perivascular macrophages. In pathological conditions, lymphocytes activated in the periphery infiltrate the central nervous system to trigger a local immune response that ultimately damages myelin and axons. Cytotoxic factors including pro-inflammatory cytokines, proteases, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species accumulate and may contribute to myelin destruction. Dysregulation of the BBB and transendothelial migration of activated leukocytes are among the earliest cerebrovascular abnormalities seen in MS brains and parallel the release of inflammatory cytokines. In this review we establish the importance of the role of the BBB in MS. Improvements in our understanding of molecular mechanism of BBB functioning in physiological and pathological conditions could lead to improvement in the quality of life of MS patients.

Novel Point Mutations and A8027G Polymorphism in Mitochondrial-DNA-Encoded Cytochrome c Oxidase II Gene in Mexican Patients with Probable Alzheimer Disease.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been thought to contribute to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis through the accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations and net production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase plays a key role in the regulation of aerobic production of energy and is composed of 13 subunits. The 3 largest subunits (I, II, and III) forming the catalytic core are encoded by mitochondrial DNA. The aim of this work was to look for mutations in mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase gene II (MTCO II) in blood samples from probable AD Mexican patients. MTCO II gene was sequenced in 33 patients with diagnosis of probable AD. Four patients (12%) harbored the A8027G polymorphism and three of them were early onset (EO) AD cases with familial history of the disease. In addition, other four patients with EOAD had only one of the following point mutations: A8003C, T8082C, C8201T, or G7603A. Neither of the point mutations found in this work has been described previously for AD patients, and the A8027G polymorphism has been described previously; however, it hasn't been related to AD. We will need further investigation to demonstrate the role of the point mutations of mitochondrial DNA in the pathogenesis of AD.

The effects of long-term exposure to disease-modifying drugs during pregnancy in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who intend to get pregnant are often advised to discontinue disease modifying therapy (DMT) prior to conception. This recommendation is not based on medical evidence and may interfere with disease control by immunomodulatory drugs. The present study was designed to help discuss the effect of DMT for MS on pregnancy and on disease course. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective data from 152 pregnancies of 132 women with MS were collected by the physician in charge of the case. All data were entered into a specific file for qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis. RESULTS: From the total group of patients, 89 pregnancies occurred without any exposure to MS drugs, while 61 pregnancies occurred with at least eight weeks of exposure to MS immunomodulatory drugs. The rate of obstetric and neonatal complications was similar in both groups, except for the newborn weight and height which was smaller for mothers receiving medications. Mothers' post-delivery relapse rate and EDSS scores in the follow-up period were significantly higher in the absence of treatment. CONCLUSION: It is possible that, with further such supportive data, international guidelines on MS treatment in young women who intend to get pregnant may need to be revised.

Increased fMRI signal with age in familial Alzheimer's disease mutation carriers.

Although many Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients have a family history of the disease, it is rarely inherited in a predictable way. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of nondemented adults carrying familial AD mutations provide an opportunity to prospectively identify brain differences associated with early AD-related changes. We compared fMRI activity of 18 nondemented autosomal dominant AD mutation carriers with fMRI activity in eight of their noncarrier relatives as they performed a novelty encoding task in which they viewed novel and repeated images. Because age of disease onset is relatively consistent within families, we also correlated fMRI activity with subjects' distance from the median age of diagnosis for their family. Mutation carriers did not show significantly different voxelwise fMRI activity from noncarriers as a group. However, as they approached their family age of disease diagnosis, only mutation carriers showed increased fMRI activity in the fusiform and middle temporal gyri. This suggests that during novelty encoding, increased fMRI activity in the temporal lobe may relate to incipient AD processes.