ECTRIMS conference news: the launch of the updated MS Brain Health report

This week was an exciting one in the world of MS as ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) was in full flow with some fantastic new research presented on a wide range of topics – something we’ll be bringing you more information on in the coming weeks.  

One of the highlights for us at Overcoming MS was the launch of the updated MS Brain Health report, building on the original published in 2015. The initial document marked the start of the ‘time is brain’ movement, pushing for faster diagnosis and earlier access to high-efficacy treatments. It was also the first MS practical policy document to present evidence that healthy lifestyle behaviours can help optimise brain health and MS outcomes (fig 1). 

This new, updated version comes from worldwide experts in MS and we wanted to bring you the stand-out headlines for us:  

• This version of the report covers MS and other related conditions. These include neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). These are distinct conditions, but there is a lot of crossover in how they are experienced by people and in how they are best managed. 
• Holistic management is now given its own section, including empowering people living with MS and related conditions, prioritising shared decision-making between healthcare professionals and the person living with MS, and a much-expanded section on the evidence for making positive lifestyle choices. 
• The report talks about the importance of providing emotional support for family members and those in a caring role. (It was a new addition to the UK national guidance from NICE in its own update in 2022). 
• There is a focus on making sure people have adequate social support and how this can reduce the burden on healthcare services. 
• The report states that all health services around the globe need to treat every person as an individual, providing thorough care and using collaboration to deliver the best care possible. 
• They talk about ‘flipping the pyramid’ – putting lots of time and effort into early and effective interventions to improve long term outcomes. This early intervention includes combining effective medication and brain-healthy lifestyle choices. 

Our CEO Alex Holden, with expert facilitators Dr Rachael Hunter and Dr Phil Startin, went along to the launch. Sharing her thoughts, Alex said: “This report is key in showing the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. It clearly lays out the importance of lifestyle choices, alongside medication, as part of a holistic management plan for people with MS. This will encourage healthcare professionals to understand the evidence-base and to share this information with their patients, supporting them to make positive changes where possible.” 

Specific lifestyle guidance in the report 

We expect you’re keen to know what the guidance says about lifestyle choices! The key aspects of lifestyle management that the report highlights (p31) are across physical and emotional health: 

• managing alcohol intake 
• stopping smoking 
• getting regular physical activity 
• maintaining a healthy weight (which they discuss in reference to healthy eating) 
• getting enough sleep 
• managing any other medical conditions like high blood pressure, or mental health difficulties 

As a global report, this is an important step in making sure every healthcare professional supporting someone living with MS understands that lifestyle choices play an important role in managing MS, and that they have a responsibility to support their patients making informed choices and accessing necessary support to live as well as possible.

You can read the full report here

Fig 1: The 2015 report was one of the first policy publications for managing MS to highlight the importance of lifestyle choices. This infograph is taken from the original 2015 MS Brain Health resources for people with MS via msbrainhealth.org