Hello friends --It's November 1st!!  I can't believe it.  November.  WHAT!?!?  Ok - I'll accept it.  I just can't believe it!  The leaves are falling from the trees and they're advertising the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade so - I guess it really is November.  Let's see what's going on in the world of MS:1.  You really need to listen to this week's episode of the FUMS Podcast Show.  I interviewed Brooke Pelczynski (the c is silent!! 🤪).  She is an artist - an illustrator and a comic artist - who worked as a consultant on Marvel's Darkhawk series where the main character has MS.  Did I mention that Brooke has MS?? She's so interesting.  Listen in wherever you get your podcasts - or - right here:  Brooke Peczynski2.  Genetic variants in genes mostly active in the brain and spinal cord — the central nervous system — are associated with the severity of MS, and linked to a faster accrual of disability and greater signs of brain tissue damage, a new study found.  Importantly, researchers estimated that nearly 13% of the variability in MS severity might ultimately be attributed to genetics.  #ECTRIMS2022 – Genetic Variants Tied to Worse MS ID’d in New Study3.  Disability progression in the absence of relapses is less common in children and adolescents with MS than among people with adult-onset disease, according to data covering more than 5,000 patients with relapsing forms of MS.Nevertheless, this form of progression — called progression independent of relapse activity, or PIRA — still accounted for nearly half of confirmed disability worsening events in pediatric-onset MS (POMS) patients, even at early stages of the disease!  #ECTRIMS2022 – Relapse-free Progression Evident in Pediatric MS4.  The investigational immunotherapy ATA188 continues to ease disability and prevent brain tissue shrinkage in people with progressive forms of MS, according to the data, now reaching up to four years, on patients in an ongoing clinical trial. People who achieved confirmed disability improvement also showed potential signs of remyelination, or the restoration of the protective myelin sheath around nerve cells that is progressively lost in MS. #ECTRIMS2022 – ATA188 Still Easing Disability in Progressive MS Patients5.  Tap speed — or how quickly one types on a smartphone keyboard — may be a useful tool for monitoring MS severity and detecting the transition to a progressive form of the disease, according to new research data. Results demonstrated that slower tapping speeds were linked to worse clinical measures of disease in MS patients. Specifically, individuals who tap at a lesser speed were found to have worse disability, poorer dexterity and walking abilities, and lower cognitive function. Also, patients with SPMS — typically a later disease course — had slower tapping speeds than individuals with RRMS.  #ECTRIMS2022 – Smartphone Tap Speed May Help in Monitoring MS6.  GREAT OPPORTUNITY:  Kathy Chester, founder of MS Disrupted, has extended an invitation to a free webinar discussing MS, Movement and Exercise, Nutrition, and Mindfulness with a number of impressive MS experts in a 2-day webinar Nov 9 & 10.  To learn more or to register, here's where you go:  MS Disrupted and The ExpertsThat's all folks.  Hope you learned something helpful, got a giggle and registered for an informational webinar!! Warmly -- Kathy#FUMSP.S.  Want a list of 10+ websites that pay you for sharing your opinions and experiences on the products and services you use everyday?  How about links to recruiters specializing in chronic illness, disability and inclusivity in employment?   Sign up now and receive these valuable resources and begin receiving the weekly Patients Getting Paid newsletter.  Sign up here and receive it immediately:  Make Money With Your Opinion

Sometimes it helps the stress, just to say "F-U-M-S"