A cure for brain shrinkage
Data from phase II clinical trials have shown that the drug Ibudilast is more effective in slowing down the processes of brain shrinkage compared to placebo. The study involved 255 patients diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis of the first or second degree. By randomization, the subjects were divided into two groups: 129 received ibudilast (orally, 100 mg every day) and 126 received placebo. The duration of the study was 96 weeks. Every six months, the study participants underwent MRI examinations of the brain, and Dr. Fox and his colleagues analyzed the images using a wide variety of techniques to see any changes in the structure of the brain of the subjects, as well as to show the differences between the effect of placebo and the drug.
As a result of the study, scientists concluded that ibudilast slows down the process of brain atrophy compared to placebo, but does not stop it completely. According to clinical studies, the difference between the two groups was approximately 2.5ml of brain tissue – that's how much less patients who received ibudilast lost. It is also unknown whether this slowdown has an effect on the symptoms of the disease. In addition, the study revealed the most common side effects, among which were: headache, depression and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Multiple sclerosis occurs due to a violation in the "isolation" of the neurons of the brain: the integrity of the myelin sheaths is violated, as a result of which the signal passage between nerve cells slows down. When the signal is slowed down, muscle weakness, coordination problems occur, visual and other functions are disrupted.
As a rule, the disease progresses rapidly, but there may also be a recurrent-remitting form of the disease, in which clinical manifestations may disappear and reappear after weeks and months.
Perhaps the use of ibudilast will form the basis of a therapeutic technique for the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis and will give hope to patients, if not to get rid of the disease, then at least to slow down its course.
Article by Fox et al. Phase 2 Trial of Ibudilast in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Anastasia Poznyak, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru / based on the materials of Study finds multiple sclerosis drug slows brain shrinkage.