New Funding for Multiple Sclerosis Pilot Study

Dinesh Keran Sivakolundu, MD, a doctoral student in Dr. Bart Rypma’s NeuroPsychometric Research Lab at the Center for BrainHealth, was awarded $44,000 in pilot funding from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The research team will use novel methods that use caffeine to study the support cells in the brain of MS patients. To the team’s knowledge, this is the first time a study will be looking into the functioning of these support cells and how its dysfunction could lead to MS-related cognitive impairment. In addition, they will also be employing a novel imaging method, which will help researchers understand blood flow to the specific regions of the brain and nerve cell metabolism. Findings could have major implications for the development of MS biomarkers and treatment strategies for MS-related cognitive dysfunction.