For years, the standard medical advice for someone diagnosed with multiple sclerosis was simple, cautious, and as we now know, incredibly limiting: "Take it easy. Don't overexert yourself. And get plenty of rest."

Today, like almost every other aspect of MS care, neurological rehabilitation is being entirely rewritten. It's no longer about just managing decline; it's about leveraging emerging technologies to proactively build resilience, retrain the brain, and adopt cutting-edge exercise science to fundamentally change the trajectory of life with MS.

This week, three experts share their thoughts on what MS rehabilitation looks like in 2026...and it's not your father's MS rehab!

Dr. Brian Sandroff breaks down his groundbreaking research on how tailored exercise regimens—like treadmill walking—can actually improve memory, boost processing speed, and spark cognitive recovery.

Dr. Brad Willingham discusses the game-changing world of continuous remote monitoring, explaining how wearable sensors and AI are turning real-world, 24/7 data into hyper-personalized, dynamic treatment plans.

And Dr. Laura Rice delivers a practical exercise blueprint for individuals with MS who use wheelchairs. You'll learn how to jumpstart a safe fitness routine while effectively managing risks like heat sensitivity, shoulder overuse, skin breakdown, and the fear of falling.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're taking a deep dive into MS rehabilitation :22

Dr. Brian Sandroff answers the question, "Can exercise be used to treat cognitive impairment?" 2:10

Dr. Brad Willingham explains how AI can play a meaningful role in MS rehabilitation and clinical care 13:41

Dr. Laura Rice shares tips and strategies for exercising safely if you rely on a wheelchair for mobility 26:18

Share this episode 46:27

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Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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RealTalk MS Episode 459 Guest: Dr. Brian Sandroff, Dr. Brad Willingham, and Dr. Laura Rice

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This week, our coverage of the Consortium of MS Centers annual meeting continues with my guest, Dr. Stephen Krieger. In a wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Krieger offers a very encouraging clinical trial update, shares his thoughts on what treating someone living with advanced MS ought to look like, and points out potential obstacles to implementing the updated criteria for diagnosing MS.

Dr. Krieger is a Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and a Multiple Sclerosis Specialist at the Corinne Coldsmith Dickinson Center for MS.

We're also sharing results of a study that revealed some surprising connections between caffeine, alcohol, opioids, and MS symptoms.

And if you're living with MS and you're the parent of a young child, we'll tell you about a book that belongs on your bookshelf.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're at the CMSC annual meeting with Dr. Stephen Krieger :22

Study reveals the connection between caffeine, alcohol, and opioids and your MS symptoms 1:12

My Superhero with Wheels is the book you need if you're living with MS and have young children 5:15

Dr. Stephen Krieger discusses exciting clinical trial results, treating people with advanced MS, and potential challenges in implementing the updated criteria for diagnosing MS 8:39

Share this episode 30:22

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Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Daily Temporal Associations Between Psychoactive Substances and Fatigue, Pain, Stress, and Depressive Symptoms in People with Multiple Sclerosis https://archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(26)00035-3/fulltext

BOOK: My Superhero with Wheels https://amazon.com/My-Superhero-wheels-True-Story/dp/B0GWVGSWX5/ref=sr_1_1

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RealTalk MS Episode 458 Guest: Dr. Stephen Krieger

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Last week, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, best known as CMSC, hosted its annual meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, where we had a chance to talk with some of the world's top MS experts. We'll be sharing those conversations over the next few episodes of the podcast. Welcome to Part One of our coverage of CMSC 2026!

In what has become an annual tradition at this conference, Dr. Kathy Zackowski, the National MS Society's Associate Vice-President of Research, joins me to share her impressions of the sessions and presentations that stood out to her.

I also caught up with Dr. Valerie Block and Dr. Riley Bove on the first day of the CMSC annual meeting, and we discussed how wearable devices and digital tools are finding their way into MS care and how they can improve the quality of care for people living with MS.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're reporting from CMSC :22

Dr. Kathy Zackowski shares the CMSC presentations that caught her eye 1:04

Dr. Valerie Block and Dr. Riley Bove discuss how wearable devices and digital tools are reshaping MS care 14:29

Share this episode 28:20

Next week 28:39

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Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

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LINKS

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JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

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RealTalk MS Episode 457 Guests: Dr. Kathy Zackowski, Dr. Valerie Block, Dr. Riley Bove

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May 30th is World MS Day! This year, the theme for World MS Day is "My MS Diagnosis," and I've been thinking about what happens right after that diagnosis. After an individual hears, "You have MS."

This week, Dr. Nancy Sicotte joins me to discuss the things you should know, the things you should be thinking about, and the things you should be doing in the first 100 days following an MS diagnosis.

Dr. Sicotte is the Chair of Neurology and Director of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, and she's the past Chair of the National MS Society's National Medical Advisory Committee.

We're also sharing results of a study that showed an exercise hormone protected neurons from inflammatory attack in a mouse model of MS.

And we're sharing encouraging news about an experimental nasal spray that's been shown to delay disability progression and improve fatigue among people with non-active secondary progressive MS.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: World MS Day! :22

Study reveals an exercise hormone has neuroprotective effects on a mouse model of MS 2:40

Tiziana shares evidence that Foralumab delays progression and improves fatigue in people with non-active secondary progressive MS 4:34

Dr. Nancy Sicotte looks at the first 100 days following an MS diagnosis 8:40

Share this episode 28:51

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

World MS Day Poster Maker https://worldmsday.org/poster-maker

STUDY: The Exercise Hormone Irisin Has Neuroprotective Effects in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-026-01527-7

CLINICAL TRIAL: A Study of Nasal Foralumab in Non-Active Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06292923

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RealTalk MS Episode 456 Guest: Dr. Nancy Sicotte

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When we talk about managing Multiple Sclerosis, our conversations naturally focus on things like disease-modifying therapies, mobility, MRI scans, and symptom management. But in this week's episode, we're shining a light on a critical aspect of MS wellness that doesn't get nearly enough attention: your oral health.

Living with MS can introduce a whole host of unexpected challenges to maintaining a healthy mouth. And beyond preventing tooth decay and gum disease, emerging research suggests that chronic oral inflammation, like periodontal disease, can trigger systemic inflammation throughout the body.

Dr. Ann Spolarich joins us to break down the science, explain the risks, and offer practical suggestions for maintaining oral health for people living with MS and their care partners.

We're also sharing study results that revealed 1,000 differences between immune cells in men and women. (And we're explaining why that's important)

If you're a parent or caregiver for a child or teen with MS, we'll tell you everything you need to know about the FDA approval of Ocrevus for treating pediatric MS.

We're sharing the details of an AI partnership designed to shorten the time to an MS diagnosis and track progression in real time.

We're sharing the details of another AI partnership designed to test a pill that will ease MS-related depression and fatigue.

And we'll tell you about a way that you can participate in MS research from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: The connection between your oral health and MS :22

Study reveals 1,000 differences between men's and women's immune cells 1:30

FDA approves Ocrevus for children over the age of 10 with relapsing remitting MS 3:28

An AI partnership designed to shorten the time to an MS diagnosis and track progression in real time 5:43

An AI partnership to test a pill that will ease MS-related depression and fatigue 9:24

An opportunity to participate in MS research from the comfort and convenience of your own home 13:16

Dr. Ann Spolarich discusses the connection between your oral health and MS 13:16

Share this episode 29:45

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I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: The Impact of Sex on the Immune System Explored at the Single-Cell Level https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002-9297(26)00153-9

ONLINE SURVEY: Bladder-Related Fall Risk in People with MS https://www.nationalmssociety.org/how-you-can-help/get-involved/participate-in-research-studies/rs-bladder-fall-risk

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RealTalk MS Episode 455 Guest: Dr. Ann Spolarich

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One out of every two people with MS will experience clinical depression at some point in their MS journey, making depression one of the most significant yet under-discussed aspects of living with MS. While the physical symptoms of MS often take center stage, the neuropsychiatric challenges can be just as impactful on an individual's overall quality of life and long-term outcomes.

Joining us to shed some light on this important topic is Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a world-renowned neuropsychiatrist and professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Feinstein has spent decades researching the biological and psychological drivers of depression in MS.

We're also sharing study results revealing that wait times to see a neurologist in the U.S. are way too long.

We'll tell you about a pilot trial that's recruiting participants for an implantable device designed to promote remyelination.

We're just two days away from the National MS Society's webcast on protecting federal funding for MS research, the NIH, CDC, and FDA. We're sharing all the details and info to register.

And we'll tell you all about the MS Society's statement for the record at a congressional hearing, exposing how Pharmacy Benefit Managers often prioritize profits over patient welfare.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Managing MS-Related Depression :22

Study results reveal wait times for an appointment with a neurologist in the U.S. 1:45

A pilot clinical trial for an implantable device designed to promote remyelination 4:38

A webcast to update you on the National MS Society's advocacy efforts to protect federal funding for MS research, the NIH, CDC, and FDA 7:05

The National MS Society has submitted a critical statement for the record at a congressional hearing, exposing how Pharmacy Benefit Managers often prioritize profits over patient welfare 8:39

Dr. Anthony Feinstein discusses the latest research and strategies for managing MS-related depression 11:00

Share this episode 29:37

Next week 28:56

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I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Access to High-Efficacy Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis Under Medicaid: Variation in Coverage and Utilization Across States https://aan.com/msa/Public/Events/AbstractDetails/61520

STUDY RESULTS: Neurology Wait Times After Primary Care or Emergency Department Visits Among the Commercially Insured Population in the United States: 2019-2023 https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000218008

CLINICAL TRIAL: The SetPoint System as a Pro-Remyelination Therapy for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06796504

WEBCAST: Make It Count Now: Mobilizing for Federal Funding in a Changing Policy Landscape https://nmss.quorum.us/event/33151

READ: The National MS Society Statement for The Record: "Profits Over Patients: The PBM Business Model Under Scrutiny" https://cdn.sanity.io/files/y936aps5/production/0372d3964cc269a404c17dff8ca919b34d0c6603.pdf

AbleNOW https://ablenow.com

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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RealTalk MS Episode 454 Guest: Dr. Anthony Feinstein

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For decades, an MS diagnosis came with outdated advice and significant uncertainty regarding starting a family. Today, the conversation has shifted from "Is it possible?" to "How do we optimize the journey?" This week, we're taking a deep dive into the essential considerations for family planning, managing MS during pregnancy, and the crucial postpartum period.

We're joined by Dr. Riley Bove, an Associate Professor of Neurology at UCSF and a leading expert in hormonal influences on MS. Dr. Bove brings her extensive research background and clinical expertise to help us understand how to navigate disease-modifying therapies while planning a family, the biological shifts that occur during pregnancy, and how to build a robust support system for the "fourth trimester."

We're also sharing study results that provide some optimistic news for people experiencing MS-related depression.

We'll tell you about a study that explains the actual changes in the immune system that occur when someone with MS exercises.

If you get your health insurance on the Affordable Care Act online marketplace, we'll explain why health economists feel certain that your premiums will be going up again next year.

And we're also sharing some sobering research that highlights systemic inequities that prevent people with MS who rely on Medicaid from accessing high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: MS and family planning, pregnancy, and postpartum :22

STUDY: High-efficacy disease-modifying therapies are not available to all Medicaid recipients 1:08

Millions have failed to renew their ACA individual health insurance plans 5:05

STUDY: Cognitive-behavioral therapy improves MS-related depression 9:32

STUDY: Researchers identify the biological mechanisms that are impacted when people with MS exercise 11:29

Dr. Riley Bove discusses family planning, pregnancy, and postpartum issues that affect women with MS 14:48

Share this episode 35:31

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I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Access to High-Efficacy Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis Under Medicaid: Variation in Coverage and Utilization Across States https://aan.com/msa/Public/Events/AbstractDetails/61520

STUDY: Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2026/04170/effectivess_of_cognitive_behavioral_therapy_for.27.aspx

STUDY: Physical Exercise Modulates T Cell Activity and Mitigates Synaptic Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis Through Vagus Nerve Engagement https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159126002710

UCSF Clinical Trials: Pregnancy Registry, Infants, Serum/Milk Analysis (PRISMA) https://clinicaltrials.ucsf.edu/trial/NCT06940323

AbleNOW https://ablenow.com

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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RealTalk MS Episode 453 Guest: Dr. Riley Bove

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Myelin repair is a natural function. But, for people living with MS, that ability to repair myelin eventually stops working. New research led by my guest, Dr. Larry Sherman, may explain why that happens and point to new possibilities for future myelin repair treatments.

Dr. Sherman is a professor at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University, and his research focuses on how the brain and spinal cord respond to injury and disease, particularly in demyelinating conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

We're also sharing some potentially good news for people living with non-relapsing secondary progressive MS in Europe, but not in the United States.

We'll give you the details about an experimental drug that's just been submitted to the FDA and EMA for approval for treating relapsing forms of MS and primary progressive MS.

We'll share the results of a study that focused on the impact of a cancer diagnosis on MS care.

We'll tell you how Fernando Mendoza celebrated being named the #1 pick in this year's NFL draft.

And we're sharing news about a new AI tool for your doctor.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Why myelin repair stops working for people living with MS :22

EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommends approval of Tolebrutinib 1:35

Roche submits Fenebrutinib for FDA and EMA approval 4:45

Study results show the effect of a cancer diagnosis on MS care 6:13

The first pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Fernando Mendoza, partners with the National MS Society to launch the Mendoza Family Fund 9:43

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Clinicians 10:56

Dr. Larry Sherman discusses why myelin repair stops working for people with MS, and how his team may have found a way to restart it 14:37

Share this episode 27:59

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I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

LISTEN: RealTalk MS Episode 440: An MS Specialist Responds to the FDA with Dr. William Conte https://realtalkms.com/440

STUDY: Impact of Cancer on Multiple Sclerosis-Related Healthcare and Disease-Modifying Drug Use: A Multinational Cohort Study https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261437966

STUDY (Plain English Version): Impact of Cancer on Multiple Sclerosis-Related Healthcare and Disease-Modifying Drug Use: A Multinational Cohort Study https://tremlettsmsresearchexplained.wordpress.com/2026/04/23/impact-of-cancer-on-multiple-sclerosis-related-healthcare-and-disease-modifying-drug-use-a-multinational-cohort-study-explained

DONATE: The Mendoza Family Fund (in Partnership with the National MS Society) https://nationalmssociety.org/how-you-can-help/ways-to-give/mendoza

LEARN MORE: ChatGPT For Clinicians https://chatgpt.com/plans/clinicians

AbleNOW https://ablenow.com

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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RealTalk MS Episode 452 Guest: Dr. Larry Sherman

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The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology is underway in Chicago this week, and one of the highlights is the presentation of the John Dystel Prize for Research in Multiple Sclerosis, awarded jointly by the National MS Society and the American Academy of Neurology.

This year's winner of the Dystel Prize is Dr. Ludwig Kappos, a physician-scientist at the University Hospital Basel in Basel, Switzerland, and the director of the Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel.

Dr. Kappos has played a major role in how clinical trials in MS are conducted. He helped establish the Expanded Disability Status Scale, or EDSS, which is the gold standard for measuring disability in people with MS, and Dr. Kappos and his team have advanced our current understanding of a key driver of disability in MS, known as progression independent of relapse activity, or PIRA.

Dr. Kappos will be delivering the Dystel Prize lecture at the American Academy of Neurology meeting this week, and he's joining us to share a preview of that lecture in a conversation you won't want to miss.

We're also sharing news about a blood test used to monitor MS disease activity that has just been approved by the European Union.

We'll give you the details of a study focused on whether disease-modifying therapies can impact neurodevelopmental birth defects in children born to mothers with MS.

We'll explain why yaks and Tibetan antelope may have opened a door to neuroprotection and myelin repair for people living with MS.

And we'll tell you where healthcare providers and patients may differ when it comes to defining high-quality MS care.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: The John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research is awarded :22

A blood test to monitor MS disease activity is approved by the EU 2:28

Researchers determine whether disease-modifying therapies have an impact on neurodevelopmental birth defects among children born to mothers with MS 4:21

Researchers studying yaks and Tibetan antelope may have uncovered a pathway to neuroprotection and even myelin repair 7:24

Healthcare providers and people living with MS share their perspectives on what needs improvement in delivering high-quality MS care 10:01

Dr. Ludwig Kappos reflects on how MS clinical trials need to change 13:33

Share this episode 30:58

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Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Association of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Congenital Anomalies with Prenatal Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: Real World Historial Cohort Studyhttps://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cpt.70235

STUDY: A Gain-of-Function Retstat Variant from High-Altitude Adaptation Promotes Myelination Via a Neuronal Dihydroretinoic Acid-RXR-Y Pathway https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(26)00013-9

ARTICLE: Areas for Improvement for High-Quality Multiple Sclerosis Care: Insights from Interviews with People with Multiple Sclerosis, Providers, and Clinical Educators https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1936657426000300

AbleNOW https://ablenow.com

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RealTalk MS Episode 451 Guest: Dr. Ludwig Kappos

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An exercise program can be hard to start and even more difficult to stick with. But the evidence-based benefits speak for themselves. For people living with MS, it can mean improving quality of life without having to rely on a pill, injection, or infusion. And exercise is 100% affordable!

Dr. Robert Motl, the Director of the Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, joins me to discuss how exercise can improve MS-related brain fog, reduce fatigue, and perhaps even support myelin repair.

We'll also share the results of a study that shows having mononucleosis is a significant risk factor for developing MS.

And we'll tell you about a powerful imaging agent that can identify which immune cells are causing the inflammatory activity that drives MS, determine disease severity, and track the immune system's response to disease-modifying therapy. It's a potential game-changer in MS care.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Evidence-based benefits of exercise for people living with MS :22

Study results show that having mono increases the chance that someone will develop MS 1:28

Researchers have created an imaging agent with the potential to be a game-changer in diagnosing and treating MS 4:29

Dr. Robert Motl explains how and why exercise can be medicine for people with MS 10:04

Share this episode 31:50

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Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Among Persons with Epstein-Barr Virus-Positive Mononucleosishttps://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000082

STUDY: A Radiolabeled Dendrimer Non-Invasively Identifies and Tracks Innate Immune Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67907-x

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RealTalk MS Episode 450 Guest: Dr. Robert Motl

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