Julia K Cole

Article by  Christie Germans Dog, cat, chinchilla, hamster, ferret, fish, bearded dragon, parakeet, pig, monkey – whatever your choice, pets really make us feel good, better even, as we live with chronic illness and disability. Not only can they provide physical assistance, they also warm our hearts and make living with MS a bit easier. I am reminded of this as the winter temperatures drop and my cat, Hans, now cuddles more. (Yes, even in California, it gets cold. It dropped to the high 30’s the other night, which is cold for us, really, really cold. Brrrr!). There is nothing better than a good snuggle with Hans to warm me up. On the days I do not feel well, Hans just seems to pick up on this and cuddles with me even more, even closer. How wonderful this is as he distracts me from the  pain  I feel, the burning in my legs, the extreme  fatigue  I battle. And, there is more to it than just the snuggles. Having pets in our lives has a wide range of benefit...

Stem cell research continues to excite the field of MS research as a new Phase I trial involving the use of stems cells as an Investigational New Drug (IND) in MS patients has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The small Phase I clinical trial will investigate the safety and efficacy of autologous, mesenchymal stems cell-derived neural progenitor cells (MSC-NPs) in the treatment of progressive MS. Neural progenitor cells are cells that can develop into neurons and other nervous system cells, such as oligodendrocytes, encouraging neural repair and regeneration as evidenced in studies with mice (Harris, 2012).  Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells derived from bone marrow which can differentiate into other types of cells such as neural progenitor cells (NPCs).  Autologous mesenchymal stem cells are obtained from a person’s (or animal’s) own bone marrow. Led by Saud Sadiq, MD and Violaine Harris, PhD, researchers at the Tisch MS...