Latest news with #multiple sclerosis
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Selma Blair shares stunning holiday snaps after recent breakthrough in MS battle: 'I am so grateful for this time to breathe'
Selma Blair shared a slew of stunning holiday snaps on Thursday amid her battle with multiple sclerosis. The Legally Blonde actress, 53, announced earlier this year that she had gone into remission from the debilitating illness after receiving a groundbreaking new treatment. MS is a debilitating autoimmune condition that affects the brain and spinal cord and leaves people with mobility issues, memory loss and fatigue. There is no cure, but some treatments have been shown to slow progression and ease symptoms, including stem cell transplants, which doctors and scientists describe as the new frontier of regenerative medicine. Selma looked happier than ever in the holiday snaps with her son Arthur, 14, and could be seen lounging with a book and posing by the poolside. The star also showed off her incredible figure and bikini collection as she made the most of relaxing on her tropical getaway. Alluding to her battle with the illness, which Selma was diagnosed with in 2018, she wrote: 'This is the dream I love. Not the hard things or the hurt things, the tantrums and the tears, nor the searching. But that is the stuff that builds and tests. 'Then there is a pause. In every storm. And we can enjoy. And I am so grateful for this time to breathe. With Arthur and friends. 'With love, I wish us all a bit of breathing and smiling. Kisses and soar on.' The post went down a storm with the Hollywood icon's celebrity friends and fans alike. Nicole Scherzinger wrote: 'You are stunning. Thankyou for your light and inspiration.' Fans echoed the sentiments of the former Pussycat Doll in their replies, writing: 'Just watched The Sweetest Thing again the other night. It's inconceivable to me that both you and Christina have the same condition. 'You are two of my most favourite actresses and your journey has been so amazing to watch.'; 'You are my hero, not letting MS get in the way! Makes me try hard to not let it get in my way.' About six years ago, Blair underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a procedure that extracts and then reinfuses stems cells - undifferentiated cells with the ability to develop into various specialized cell types - into a person's body About six years ago, Blair underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a procedure that extracts and then reinfuses stem cells - undifferentiated cells with the ability to develop into various specialized cell types - into a person's body. With HSCT, patients specifically receive hematopoietic stem cells, which are immature cells that can develop into all types of blood cells, including white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets - which help blood clot. They are derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood. Speaking to experts have said the results of these procedures can go as far as to 'see patients go from a wheelchair to walking.' So far, this groundbreaking field of medicine has made waves in the fields of cancers, autoimmune diseases and neurological disorders. Now, doctors are using them to repair years-worth of brain damage, even restoring some paralysed patients' ability to walk by regrowing tissue. Taken from the patients themselves, the cells are purified and then implanted into an area of their body where cells have died, such as brain tissue, to regrow those types of cells.
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Roche May Sell Drugs Directly to US Patients to Bypass Middlemen
Roche Holding AG is weighing direct-to-patient drug sales in the US, bypassing the middleman for its pricey medicines for multiple sclerosis, eye disease and cancer. The Swiss drugmaker has discussed direct-to-patient sales with the US government, Chief Executive Officer Thomas Schinecker said on Thursday as the company reported quarterly earnings. The move would bring down costs 'quite quickly,' he said.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Common virus that affects 124million Americans may contribute to debilitating multiple sclerosis
About one in two adults is infected with a virus that can cause cold sores, fever and blisters in the mouth. But now, researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) suggest that oral herpes, caused by herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), could also raise the risk of suffering from the life-altering condition multiple sclerosis. In a new study, scientists gene-edited mice not to produce a protein called optineurin, which plays a role in defending the body against herpes infections, and then infected the mice with the virus. The infection led to the rapid degradation of the myelin sheath, a protective coating on nerve fibers. This caused mice to suffer MS-like symptoms, such as muscle weakness, loss of movement and the ability to coordinate muscles. This mirrors the process observed in individuals with multiple sclerosis, where the myelin sheath also degrades because the immune system misfires and starts to attack the area. The scientists say their findings could indicate a link between HSV-1, which is different from the HSV-2 virus that causes genital herpes, and MS. Dr Deepak Shukla, a professor of molecular virology at UIC and the study's lead, said: 'Our findings enhance our understanding of how viruses develop and offer potential avenues for mitigating viral-induced [nerve cell] damage. 'If you are infected, then your immune system is constantly locked in battle with the virus. And if for any reason you become immunocompromised, the virus can escape and damage your brain.' Oral herpes is an extremely common condition that infects about 47 percent of adults, according to the CDC, or 124million people. The virus is spread via sexual contact, such as kissing and oral sex, and is incurable, normally lying dormant and triggering occasional flare-ups of sores on and around the mouth and lips. In cells, it is controlled by the protein optineurin, which stops an infection from spreading and protects against any potential myelin sheath damage. Scientists have previously established that one of the biggest risk factors for MS is an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a virus that has infected 95 percent of adults and which is estimated to raise the risk of MS by 30 percent. And other herpes viruses, like the ones that cause chickenpox, shingles, and human herpes virus 6, have also been linked to the onset and worsening of MS, which affects 1 million Americans. And MS is a debilitating, incurable autoimmune condition that affects the brain and spinal cord and leaves people with mobility issues, memory loss and fatigue. In earlier studies, Dr Shukla's team found that HSV-1 triggered a strong immune response in the brains of mice, causing memory problems, poor coordination, and anxiety. They also discovered that the protein optineurin helps fight the virus by slowing its growth and spread. In the latest study, researchers infected mice that could not produce the protein with the oral herpes virus in their eyes. As seen in earlier cell tests, mice without optineurin had higher infection rates after four days. The researchers also found that a protein called MLKL, or Mixed Lineage Kinase Domain-Like protein, which is made by the body during cell death, boosted HSV-1 infections in the absence of optineurin. Researchers said the protein facilitated the transportation of the virus into a cell's nucleus, speeding an infection, and optineurin controlled HSV-1 infection by triggering the deterioration of MLKL. Imaging studies revealed extensive clumping, or aggregation, of MLKL in the brains of optineurin-lacking mice, but not in control mice, in response to HSV-1 infection. Also, these clumps appeared to trigger the death of myelin-producing oligodendrocytes, or cells that create armor, or the myelin sheath, around neurons. Without the sheath, the nervous system was left vulnerable to damage. The resulting damage disrupts the communication between the brain and the rest of the body, leading to the various symptoms associated with MS, such as weakness in the legs, fatigue, coordination problems, cognitive changes, and pain. Identifying this protein offers a new target for multiple sclerosis therapies. Already, Shukla's lab has demonstrated that necrosulfonamide, which inhibits optineurin, can preserve nerve function in animal models. Studies like these provide hope for the future of MS, and bring about the potential to enable earlier intervention or a possible cure.
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE A doctor laughed in my face when I said I felt like a ghost was touching my body - then a life-changing diagnosis explained everything
I'd always imagined that if I was told that I had a serious illness I'd feel shocked, scared and afraid. What I hadn't expected was that I'd also feel relieved. In 2001, I was spinning. I was about to turn 30 and had recently left a long, abusive relationship. I had a new job, had just moved home and my stress levels were rocketing. It was no wonder that I felt ill. It began with creeping fatigue that made my brain feel foggy, like I'd been day drinking and left me wanting to crawl into bed the moment I got back to my flat. I also felt queasy and dizzy at times. Then the ghostly symptoms started. I had a strange sensation like someone invisible was gripping my left arm and foot along with a tickling feeling on my nose and tongue. It was like a hand running down my face. Sometimes I'd jump because it felt like someone had thrown a tennis ball at my calf. I felt embarrassed describing this to anyone because it sounded so bizarre and like I needed an exorcism. The GP referred me to a neurologist who sent me for a load of tests, suggesting that we needed to make sure this wasn't multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system. I was a nurse and the only people I'd met who had MS had advanced disease and were restricted in their mobility, often unable to get out of bed and needing care to go about their daily lives. The words 'multiple sclerosis' set off a reel of scary, negative images in my head and I felt totally panicked - but it was a huge relief when a letter came from the hospital saying that the MRI scan of my brain didn't show any of the scarring that you'd expect to see in MS. With time, the symptoms gradually resolved, but would come back if I was tired or under the weather. I'd tell myself to relax and try to ignore it, putting it all down to stress. I didn't know many nurses who weren't under pressure - it came with the job. Then in 2005, I woke up and staggered to the kitchen, noticing that I had almost no vision in my left eye. The hospital doctor was abrupt and didn't say much until he examined me. Then, he softened his tone and I guessed bad news was coming. He told me that my eye showed inflammation that is seen in people with MS but we needed another MRI scan to confirm this. Suddenly, it felt like I was back in the horror movie once again. On a subsequent appointment a more empathetic doctor took the time to reassure me and explained that MS is a complex spectrum illness that can present in many ways. Because of where I worked, I'd only met people with MS who were having more extreme problems and needed hospitalisation. My vision came back after a couple of months and I tried to push the thoughts of what might be wrong with me to the back of my mind. Bafflingly, the MRI came back negative and there was no explanation given of what caused me to go temporarily blind. I was relieved but puzzled. It took another 14 years before there was confirmation that I actually had MS. I started a strange merry-go-round of health and illness where I'd become more stable, feel almost normal and then the same weird symptoms would start again along with a few new ones. I ricocheted between neurologists, having a handful more MRI scans, saw my GP countless times and made a raft of excuses to myself about what was going on with me. Wanting to lie down in the aisle of the supermarket because I was so overwhelmingly tired? Isn't everyone exhausted these days? Numb patches on my body? I was imagining them and was hysterical so they were best ignored. Constant nausea? It was nerves - life is stressful after all. I decided that maybe I was just a hypochondriac with a vivid imagination - it was an argument that held up for many, as people lost patience with me at times. I'd cancel events because I needed to sleep (yet still woke up feeling exactly as tired), received strange looks if I mentioned any symptoms, and would pass off the occasional limp as 'just a thing I've always done.' My partner tried to understand but without a name for what was wrong with me it wasn't easy. A family member even said to my face that they thought the illness was all 'imaginary'. The health professionals weren't always much better. The neurologists would be interested in me when they examined me and heard my history - but as soon as the MRI scans showed no scarring they'd send a letter discharging me back to the care of the GP. One doctor even laughed in my face once and said that he thought they needed to name 'a special little syndrome' after me. That one smarted. I learned to keep quiet and fake wellness when I could. In 2020, I noticed that my left foot was numb and over a few days the reduced sensation crept up to my rib cage. At that point used to dismissing myself, I limped around for a week with a half numb left side, going to work in my job as a palliative care nurse specialist, passing it off as a sprain or back injury. But when I finally went to A and E and was scanned they found the scarring in my brain and spine that they'd looked for over the past almost two decades. The panic and fears for the future were the first emotions to rise to the surface - but I also realised that now I had a name for my illness, things might change. People would maybe stop judging me, labelling me as a hypochondriac and showing lack of empathy. It was a relief - and validating - to know that I had an illness with a name that people had heard of. I'm now on treatment (a monthly injection that won't change the existing scarring to my nervous system but is trying to prevent further damage) and had to give up my job as a nurse after thirty years; due to the fatigue, numbness and chronic pain. My specialist doctor thinks that it's likely that I had MS from the first attack nineteen years before but that the scars were small and because the scans were always done as non-urgent, months after the attacks, the swelling had gone down making them harder to see. I decided to channel my experience into something bigger, choosing to turn to something I'd always enjoyed - writing. As a fan of crime fiction specifically, it occurred to me to upend the classic psychological thriller story by creating a character with a neurological illness - who is driven to contemplating a crime. Like me, my main character is often disbelieved, devalued and tries to hide her illness. I've been staggered and heartened by the positive response the book has had from readers with chronic illnesses. I always joke that despite our symptoms, we can still participate in life on better days - and even commit ghastly crimes if we want to - but I'm not planning on this myself of course, nor advocating it for others. The diagnosis has also led to another new facet of my life - community. The other day, a friend who has a post-viral fatigue syndrome mentioned how much they were struggling with the hot weather. Heat often flares up chronic illness and I replied that my MS symptoms had too surfaced with the sunnier skies. She responded by devaluing herself and saying that MS is, of course, in a different league. I disagreed. Illness is illness, whether it has a name or not and suffering can be equal. There's no hierarchy just because of an illness name. Lots of people have a thing called functional neurological disorder where they have disabling symptoms that present like MS, epilepsy or Parkinson's disease yet never have any organic evidence of illness. It's not a choice, nor hypochondria nor hysteria. It's a recognised illness that should be treated with kindness. I don't feel bitter that it took so long to have a diagnosis and it wouldn't have changed the treatment I'd have had at the time. Treatments for MS have advanced considerably and continue to do so. However, what I do wish is that someone had taken the time to explain what might be wrong and that I hadn't felt so judged and alone. Maybe if I'd known I had MS for all that time I'd have worried more but equally, I'd have felt less like I was going mad. As it is, I'm managing to live with the ghosts with their strange grip on my limbs and their tennis ball throwing. I'm writing crime thrillers when I can do it around the crippling fatigue and trying to life the best life I can. Chris Bridge's latest book Sick To Death came out on 27 March. WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS? Multiple sclerosis (known as MS) is a condition in which the immune system attacks the body and causes nerve damage to the brain and spinal cord. It is an incurable, lifelong condition. Symptoms can be mild in some, and in others more extreme causing severe disability. MS affects 2.3 million people worldwide - including around one million in the US, and 100,000 in the UK. It is more than twice as common in women as it is in men. A person is usually diagnosed in their 20s and 30s. The condition is more commonly diagnosed in people of European ancestry. The cause isn't clear. There may be genes associated with it, but it is not directly hereditary. Smoking and low vitamin D levels are also linked to MS. Symptoms include fatigue, difficulty walking, vision problems, bladder problems, numbness or tingling, muscle stiffness and spasms, problems with balance and co-ordination, and problems with thinking, learning and planning. The majority of sufferers will have episodes of symptoms which go away and come back, while some have ones which get gradually worse over time. Symptoms can be managed with medication and therapy. The condition shortens the average life expectancy by around five to 10 years.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking reason Christina Applegate is writing new memoir amid ongoing MS battle
Christina Applegate has announced that she is set to release a new memoir titled You With The Sad Eyes amid her ongoing multiple sclerosis (MS) battle. The Dead To Me star, 53 - who recently gave a heartbreaking health update a few months earlier - expressed that she made the decision to pen the book when she was 'forced to slow down.' Her upcoming memoir was acquired by Little, Brown And Company and is slated to hit shelves later next year in March 2026. Applegate gets candid about her life - including her health journey, tumultuous upbringing in Lauren Canyon, struggles with insecurities, and suffering from past abuse and assault. 'I've had a career in TV and film since I was 3 years old, and I loved it. But with MS, all the things I thought were important shifted,' the Emmy-nominated actress said began in a statement, per People. 'For a long time, it felt impossible to find the meaning in everything I've been through, but for the first time in my life I've been able to stop and reflect.' Christina Applegate, 53, has announced that she is set to release a new memoir titled You With The Sad Eyes amid her ongoing multiple sclerosis (MS) battle; seen in 2023 in L.A. Christina then admitted that it was 'scary' to 'to tell it all' in her candid memoir. 'But no matter how dark it gets, I wrote this because I truly believe that books can make people feel less alone.' The star - who is also known for starring in projects such as Married... With Children -further explained to readers that her book 'won't be some big violin scratching for my life.' Applegate continued, 'But it will be real. It will be filled with the ups and downs, the humor and grief of life. So here I am. Real me. Lots to say.' Bryn Clark - the executive editor at Little, Brown and Company - offered a glimpse into what fans can expect with the Hollywood star's memoir. 'As an editor, I'm always chasing the elusive feeling of "I have to have this." You only know it when you see it, and I knew Christina's book was it the second I read her opening words.' Clark added, 'Christina speaks to the power of embracing the messiness and temporality of life instead of hiding behind the plastic veneer of our modern world. We have no time to waste on falsehoods and perfection.' Along with opening up about her childhood and life in the spotlight, Applegate also discusses her experience with MS. The Dead To Me star expressed that she made the decision to pen the book when she was 'forced to slow down'; seen in 2024 in L.A. Applegate continued, 'But it will be real. It will be filled with the ups and downs, the humor and grief of life. So here I am. Real me. Lots to say'; seen in 1989 in L.A. According to an official description, the Anchorman star 'will unveil the full story of her years in the public eye, and the painful moments the public didn't see.' The memoir also 'boldly presents a formidable and iconoclastic woman who has had to let go of her acting career, of her ability to dance, of her sense of physical power, but has always fought to find a new and even more fulfilling way of being. 'The pain will be matched by the joy, the losses mitigated by the extraordinary, the weight of life lifted by Applegate's signature comedic genius...' Last year in July, Christina confirmed that she was working on the book during an episode of her MeSsy podcast. Applegate kicked off her entertainment career as a baby in the early 70s when she appeared in an episode of Days Of Our Lives. She would go on to take on minor roles in shows such as Family Ties, The New Leave It To Beaver, Heart Of The City and 21 Jump Street. From 1987 through 1997, the actress portrayed the character of Kelly Bundy in the sitcom Married... With Children. Throughout the 90s, Christina additionally appeared on the big screen in movies including Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (1991) and Mars Attacks! (1996). From 1987 through 1997, the actress portrayed the character of Kelly Bundy in the sitcom Married... With Children (seen above far left) The mom-of-one also took on a role in the Anchorman franchise - such as Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2003) and the sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013). From 2019 through 2022, she played Jen Harding in the critically-acclaimed series Dead To Me alongside Linda Cardellini and James Marsden. Applegate garnered both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations based on her performance in the show. In 2021, the actress announced that she had been diagnosed with MS - a 'disease that causes breakdown of the protective covering of nerves' which 'can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms,' per Mayo Clinic. Christina took a step away from acting to focus on her health battle - and last year she reflected on her podcast how she misses it. 'I do miss that because in all honesty, the only thing I ever had my entire life was work,' she explained. 'I grew up on inner workings, the outer workings of being on a set is all I really know. I love that place.' And a few months earlier in May, Applegate gave a heartbreaking health update and revealed that she doesn't 'leave the house anymore.' From 2019 through 2022, she played Jen Harding in the critically-acclaimed series Dead To Me alongside Linda Cardellini and James Marsden 'I grew up on inner workings, the outer workings of being on a set is all I really know. I love that place,' Christina reflected; seen in 2022 in L.A. During an appearance on Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, the star admitted, 'I don't really leave the house anymore. 'If people saw what my life was like on the daily, they wouldn't they wouldn't be able to do it. Because I can sometimes not do it. It's really, really hard.' She added, 'The first thing that I hear from people is how did you get it? Meaning I must have done something wrong in my life to have this disease, I did it to myself. It's like I had breast cancer as well so, oh you must have done something. 'That stigma, I'm used to it now but it was so hard to swallow for a while because why the f*** would you think that I would do something to have this, because this is the worst thing I've ever had in my life.' The actress candidly expressed, 'It's the worst thing I've ever gone through.' And a few months earlier in May, Applegate gave a heartbreaking health update and revealed that she doesn't 'leave the house anymore'; seen in 2023 in L.A. Christina explained what a bad day looks for her and said, 'to go to the bathroom is like walking on needles and hot lava so I haven't really been able to get out of my bed today.' The star then shared early symptoms she had, such as numbness and also losing her balance. 'Eventually over months it went from my toes to my ankles to from my knees down. Selma Blair said can you please go to the neurologist and I was like there's no way that both of us from the same movie have MS.' 'I was losing balance, but the pain was extraordinary. And when I say numb, it's numb, but it hurts,' she continued.
