Are you looking to get more involved in research, treatment, and awareness? Well, here’s your chance! The University of Georgia (UGA) is currently seeking participants to join their study, which is centered around multiple sclerosis (MS). During the study, participants will engage in surveys, as well as interviews, to provide insights into this condition.
In a bulletin published in UGA Today, researchers ask for participants to enroll in the study. Although the study is being spearheaded by UGA, participants can take part remotely and do not need to be centralized to Georgia in order to join. During the study, researchers will evaluate the link between certain MS-related symptoms and activity level. In particular, researchers are looking for those between ages 18-65 who have reliable phone and internet. Altogether, participation will take around 2 hours.
Interested in getting started or learning more? Reach out to Megan Ware ([email protected]) or call 423-260-5045 today.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Ultimately, doctors are not sure of the exact cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurological disease that impacts the way the brain and body communicate. However, some consider it to be an autoimmune disorder in which the body mistakenly attacks itself. In this case, the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath, or the protective covering of nerve cells. MS can be either progressive (which progresses without remission) or relapsing and remitting, which has symptomatic “episodes” peppered with periods of remission. An estimated 400,000 Americans have MS, with an estimated 2.3 million diagnoses worldwide. Females are 2x more likely than males to develop this condition.
While MS affects people between ages 15 and 60, symptoms typically appear between ages 20 and 40. These symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness and numbness
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Eye pain
- Tremors
- Blurred vision or vision loss
- Excessive urination and urinary incontinence
- Depression and anxiety
- Difficulty speaking, such as slurred speech
- Heat intolerance
- Sexual dysfunction
- Involuntary eye movements
