 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A drug prescribed to treat depression could be beneficial to those with multiple sclerosis (MS). A new study finds Prozac helped to curb increased disease activity in the brain in MS patients.
For the study, 40 patients with the relapsing remitting form of MS were given either fluoxetine (Prozac) or a placebo. The participants had brain scans done every four weeks to check for new areas of neurological inflammation. An increase in these areas means an increase in disease activity.
Text Continues Below
Study authors say the scans showed that those in the placebo group had more new areas of inflammation than those who were in the Prozac group. Researchers say the difference was seen after eight weeks, which is the time it generally takes Prozac to start working to relieve depression. Specifically, researchers say the average number of new areas showing inflammation was five in the group on placebo, compared to two in the group on Prozac. Furthermore, after 16 weeks, 63 percent of the patients on Prozac had no new areas of inflammation, compared to 26 percent in the group given placebo.
Researchers caution this was a very small study, but they say the results warrant further research on Prozac for MS patients.
Sign up for a free weekly e-mail on Medical Breakthroughs called First to Know by clicking here.
SOURCE: Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, published online April 30, 2008
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
