In 2009 MS Ireland began funding a research project carried out by scientists in UCD. The project’s aim was to look at how cognition is affected by the damage caused by MS. While testing a particular drug that can enhance cognition they noted that it also was able to repair some damaged myelin. Dr Mark Pickering of the Conway Institute in UCD and the principal investigator says,
“The project wasn’t initially to look at the myelin itself, it was to look at cognition, a secondary effect of the loss of myelin,” he recalls. “But we found that treatment with this drug accelerated the repair of myelin.”
The project is still ongoing and further research will continue to test the drug and its potential to repair damaged myelin.
MS Ireland is delighted with the results and looks forward to releasing more details in the coming weeks.
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