Cross-Canada study aims to reveal more pieces of the MS progression puzzle
Advanced neuroimaging techniques, an area of research specialty for Dr. Jiwon Oh, will be among the tools used by scientists in the CanProCo study, as they strive to learn more about MS progression. supplied
What factors cause disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS)? Why do some patients progress to the stage of serious neurological disability – such as losses in mobility, vision or speech – more quickly and aggressively than others?
With the answers to these questions remaining largely elusive, Canadian MS researchers have recently embarked on a mission to reveal more about the complexities of MS progression. The Canadian Prospective Cohort Study to Understand Progression in MS (CanProCo) connects more than 50 Canadian researchers from across the country and is to follow 1,000 individuals with MS for at least five years.
“Our goal is to better understand how MS progression starts and the reasons it happens more rapidly in some patients,” says Dr. Jiwon Oh, who is leading the CanProCo research team and is an MS specialist and scientist in Toronto. “Learning more about the mechanisms driving progression lays the foundation for discovery of new treatments to halt and, ideally, reverse it.”
The CanProCo study is unique in the world, not only because of its scale but because it connects researchers from so many diverse fields. “We are using a very wide lens to look at everything from the underlying biology of the disease and risk factors, to how environmental and health-system factors might contribute to progression,” says Dr. Oh.
“Nothing happens in isolation, and all the factors are intertwined. It’s a huge puzzle, and that’s why we’re taking such a comprehensive approach.”
Dr. Oh will be contributing with her research into advanced neuroimaging techniques with the power to reveal detailed changes in the spinal cord and brain that are early indicators of MS.
At this stage, the CanProCo team has recruited around 600 study participants. Although the research is on hold during the pandemic, individuals with MS who qualify may still be enrolled.
For more information, visit msresearch.ca/study/canadian-prospective-CanProCo-toronto
Leading Canadian MS clinic developing advanced treatment and research centre
St. Michael’s Hospital’s BARLO MS Centre is the largest multiple sclerosis clinic in Canada and home to some of the world’s leading MS clinicians and researchers. Its research and treatment capacity is being further elevated with the creation of new facilities – occupying the entire top two floors of the hospital’s new 17-storey Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower under construction in downtown Toronto.
What sets this centre apart is that it takes into account the impact of MS on every facet of life. That means its patients receive treatment not only from a neurologist, but from a multi-disciplinary team that includes nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and neuropsychiatrists. The design of the space promotes this integrated approach and will include a gym and studio for customized physiotherapy and a cognitive lab for cutting-edge rehabilitation.
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