Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada funds record $2.5 million in research grants

July 1996

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is funding a record $2.5 million in MS research this year, announced Dr. T. Peter Seland, chair of the MS Society Medical Advisory Committee.

"The MS Society has been steadily increasing its commitment to research funding in recent years. In 1996, the Society is able to fund a larger number of research projects and personnel support grants thanks to the generous support of donors across the country," Dr. Seland added.

The MS Society funds projects in promising MS research areas such as immunology, immunogenetics, myelin regrowth, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and virus studies. Recently it has begun supporting research projects related to quality of life issues affecting people with MS. The Society also funds services and programs to assist people with MS and family members.

Among the 15 research projects funded is that of Drs. Alan Peterson and Andras Nagy at McGill University who are seeking to determine the origins of the cell that is responsible for maintaining and regrowing myelin. Myelin is the insulating covering of nerve fibres that is damaged in MS attacks.

At Vancouver Hospital, a research team of Drs. Alex Mackay, David Li and Donald Paty is using new magnetic resonance imaging techniques to follow the course of MS in people with the disease. The researchers hope to gain new understanding of how damage to the central nervous system occurs in MS attacks.

With the availability of new drugs to treat MS, it has become increasingly important to determine what is the cost of multiple sclerosis to the Canadian economy. Dr. Luanne Metz at the University of Calgary is leading a study that is examining the economic cost of MS using data from both Alberta and Nova Scotia.

The MS Society has also provided funding for one career development award, four postdoctoral grants and 12 studentships.

Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada. It is characterized by damage to the myelin covering of the central nervous system which can lead to problems with numbness, coordination, vision and speech, as well as extreme fatigue and even paralysis. Canada is a high risk area for MS. An estimated 50,000 Canadians have the disease, which as yet has no known cause or cure although many MS symptoms can be treated.

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The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is an independent, voluntary health agency and does not approve, endorse or recommend any specific product or therapy but provides information to assist individuals in making their own decisions.