Research Insights Episodes

Robots?? Really??? The answer is YES! World renowned robotics expert Dr. Maja Mataric joins us on the podcast, and we're talking about how socially assistive robots could be real game-changers for people living with MS and other chronic conditions, as well as their caregivers. We're also talking about the $24.4 million investment by the National MS Society that will support 64 new MS research projects. We'll tell you about the research team at Oregon Health & Science University that believes th...

March 28th is Progressive MS Day. While only about 15% of the people diagnosed with MS are initially given a diagnosis of Primary Progressive MS, about 65% of the people who are diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS will eventually develop Secondary Progressive MS. And the difference between progressive MS and relapsing-remitting MS is that, usually, people diagnosed with Progressive MS don't experience any remission in their disease progression. Their MS just seems to worsen more steadily over ...

MS is an equal opportunity neurological disease. It doesn't seem to discriminate against any particular ethnic or racial group. It affects Latinos and African-Americans, as well as Caucasians. And if you're an MS research scientist, who's hoping to create a viable treatment that's going to be safe & effective for the diverse population living with multiple sclerosis, then having that diversity represented in your clinical research seems like it would be important. Unfortunately, it doesn't alway...

It's MS Awareness Week! And the single event that is likely going to have the most impact in raising awareness of MS in the United States is the recent announcement of the MS Prevalence Study results. The results of this study corrected the decades old notion that there were only about 400,000 people living with MS in the United States. We now know that the number of people living with MS in the U.S. is closer to one million. More than twice as many as had been previously estimated. In this sp...

One of the fundamental questions on the minds of just about everyone living with MS is How did I get it? What causes MS? It's a question that's still awaiting a definitive answer. But as we wait for that answer, science is uncovering more and more information about MS risk factors -- the things that can make living with MS better or worse. My guest is Dr. Farren Briggs, an epidemiologist who's focused on the etiology, or the cause of multiple sclerosis, and the risk factors that actually impact...

We know about the importance of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in managing MS and slowing its progression. But you may not know that there are two very different schools of thought when it comes to how and why your neurologist may recommend one DMT over another. My guest is Dr. Aaron Boster, the System Medical Chief for Neuroimmunology at OhioHealth, and we're talking about an important conversation that you should be having with your neurologist. We're also talking about the newly published c...

Some people living with MS may find that their attention span is shorter than it used to be, or that it takes them longer to process information. Learning directions can be hard, and decision-making may become more difficult. These are all examples of impaired cognition, or cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction can impact people living with relapsing-remitting MS, and it impacts almost everyone living with progressive MS. My guest is Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti, the Director of Neuropsycholo...

It's our final episode of the year, and we're taking a look back at what you decided were the most important RealTalk MS podcast episodes of the past year. These are the episodes that received the highest number of listener downloads. We're also polishing our crystal ball, taking a look ahead to 2019, and talking about some of the research that we can expect to be hearing about. We'll even share some of the specific topics that we'll be discussing on the podcast in the coming year. Thanks to y...

The holiday season seems to carry with it the message of hope, and of finding the best side of who we are. So one of the gifts that I'm going to unwrap with you is a replay of a conversation that I had earlier this year, with 2 people who epitomize hope, humanity, and love. To me, that's what the holiday is all about, and that's what Dan and Jennifer Digmann are all about. Jennifer was diagnosed with Progressive MS in 1997, and Dan was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2000. Dan & Jennif...

Artificial intelligence is about to change the entire healthcare landscape. And that might very well include how MS is diagnosed, treated, and managed. It's even beginning to impact the way some MS research is being conducted. My guest is the founder and CEO of iQuity, Dr. Chase Spurlock. iQuity is using its expertise in machine learning to improve patient care, drive the creation of new therapies, and reduce the costs associated with managing chronic illness, including multiple sclerosis. We'r...