Source EurekAlert:

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that affects nearly 2.3 million people worldwide. MS is triggered when the immune system attacks the protective covering around nerve fibers, called the myelin sheath. The “demyelination” that follows damages nerve cells and causes impaired exchange of information between the brain and body as well as within the brain itself.  Read on.

There are a record 5m self-employed workers in the UK.They account for the 45 per cent of the growth in total employment since 2008. Analysis of the figures show that 16% of working disabled people identify as being their own boss, compared with 13% of the non-disabled population.  Read on and listen here.

On Thursday night the Government announced surprise changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment.

We didn’t expect these changes and are working hard to understand their potential impact. They follow proposals last year, which we and other disability charities sent a strong message against.  Read on.

BBC journalist Caroline Wyatt has spoken of how the “brain fog began to lift” after she had pioneering treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).

The former BBC defence correspondent was deemed unsuitable for an NHS trial and paid $60,000 (£48,000) for a stem cell transplant in Mexico in January.

Wyatt, 49, told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that she was “feeling better than I have done in a long time”.  Read on.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be caused by genetic factors, but environmental cues are increasingly recognized to have an impact on disease onset and development. One environmental factor suggested to play a role in MS is infectious agents, such as viruses. Now, different teams of scientists have explored the potential link between different viruses and the risk for MS.  Read on.

Downing Street has defended plans to change access to disability benefits, saying that “nobody is losing out”.

The government wants to reverse the effects of a court ruling which expands the number of people who can claim Personal Independence Payments.

The PM’s official spokesman said the welfare system was a “strong safety net for those who are in need of it”.  Read on.

Although there is no known cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), there are treatments that can help prevent new attacks and improve function after an attack. However, there are three subtypes of the disease and determining this, as well as the appropriateness and effectiveness of a patient’s current treatment, involves an array of expensive, time-consuming tests. Now, after a search lasting 12 years, an international team of researchers has identified a biomarker that would allow MS subtypes to be determined with a simple blood test.  Read on.