Economic Burden of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders Quantified From Patient Point of View

Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers recently conducted the first study of patient-reported data on the economic burden of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). Specifically, they characterized the direct and indirect costs of relapse events (ED visits and hospitalizations).

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Brigham Team Discovers Mechanism of Th17 Cell Production in the Gut

Rendering of Interleukin 17, a cytokine produced by T-helper cells, on black background

Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently determined how epithelial cells promote Th17 cell generation in response to bacterial colonization as a step toward better understanding the treatment—and even prevention—of chronic inflammatory diseases.

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AAN 2023: Brigham Neurologists Present Latest Research

3d rendering of a brain

On April 22–27, 2023, the American Academy of Neurology hosts its 75th annual meeting in Boston, MA and virtually. Leaders from the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital will present their latest research at the meeting alongside international colleagues.

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Novel Localization of MS-related Depression May Allow Therapeutic Brain Stimulation

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently demonstrated that lesions causing depression in patients with stroke or penetrating head trauma were functionally connected to a common brain circuit.

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The Brigham’s Rheumatology Division Presents at ACR 2022

Headshot of Ellen M. Gravallese, MD

Members of the Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital presented over 120 lectures and poster presentations at the 2022 American College of Rheumatology’s annual convergence conference. Learn more about a few of their cutting-edge presentations.

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Both Clinical Features, Assay Results Need Consideration in Diagnosis of MOG-AD

Demyelination of neuron, the damage of the neuron myelin sheath seen in demyelinating diseases

Giovanna S. Manzano, MD, of the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Marcelo Matiello, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues determined positive predictive values of a live cell–based serum assay that detects the diagnostic biomarker for MOG-AD in a real-world cohort.

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Could an Intranasal Vaccine Transform Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment?

Diagram of Alzheimer's disease with amyloid plaques, neurofilbrillary tangles, and neuronal loss

A groundbreaking intranasal vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) developed at Brigham shows tremendous promise in its first phase of human trials. Study leader Howard L. Weiner, MD, discusses the trial’s progress to date, planned future phases, and how the vaccine could shape the future of AD care.

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Some Obesity-Linked Diseases May Be Related to Cholesterol

close up of cellsObesity is linked to an increased risk of many diseases, but much remains unknown about the molecular mechanisms underlying this connection. In a new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, investigators have found an unexpected role for cholesterol and its effects on the immune system in driving some of these obesity-linked diseases — in particular, with conditions characterized by autoimmunity.

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Case Series: Teriflunomide Therapy in COVID Patients with MS

Brain scanFrom 7T MRI performed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Study Patient 1. This is a T2* gradient-echo sequence (0.8 mm isotropic voxels) showing a typical MS lesion (arrow) as oval, and bright, containing a central (dark) vessel.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their clinicians have had questions and concerns about whether immunotherapies for MS could influence risk for infection or lead to an unfavorable outcome.

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7T MRI Reveals a Link Between Meningeal and Gray Matter Involvement in MS

7 Tesla MRI findings in multiple sclerosis*

Increased immune system activity at the brain’s surface, or meningeal inflammation, is believed to be important for understanding how relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) — the most common early form of the disease — progresses to more advanced clinical stages. But the most commonly available MRI technology, 3 Tesla (3T), offers a limited view of meningeal inflammation.
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