RealTalk MS

Whether it's walking into a room and blanking on why you're there, struggling to pull up a word that's right on the tip of your tongue, or losing track of daily tasks, cognitive fatigue and brain fog can turn simple routines into exhausting hurdles. What makes cognitive changes particularly challenging is their invisibility. They don't show up on a routine check-in like mobility issues do. Family members might misread them as distraction. Employers might see them as disengagement. And all too often, clinicians don't have immediate, actionable tools to offer beyond standard advice. This week, we're talking with Dr. Elizabeth Gromisch, a research neuropsychologist at the Mandell Center for Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care and Neuroscience Research at Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. Dr. Gromisch's work focuses on moving beyond the diagnostic label to give people real, evidence-based compensatory tools. We're discussing the science of prospective memory—remembering to perform planned actions in the future—and exploring how smart digital tools, strategic daily systems, and patient empowerment can help you take control and maintain your independence. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week:  New tools and strategies for managing and even improving MS-related cognitive changes  :22 We're less than 3 weeks away from MS Toronto 2026 Patient Community Day! Have you registered yet?  1:23 Dr. Elizabeth Gromisch shares a preview of new digital tools to measure and manage MS-related cogntive changes   2:19 Share this episode  28:39 Download the RealTalk MS app  28:58 Next week  29:42 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/475 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com REGISTER: ECTRIMS Patient Community Day 2026 https://ectrimspatientcommunity.eu DOWNLOAD: The New RealTalk MS App iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id6769516594 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realtalkms.app&pcampaignid=web_share JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 475 Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Gromisch Privacy Policy

  Most people don't think about home accessibility until mobility changes force the conversation. But what if you decide to take control of the unknown and design your living space for whatever the future might bring? My guest, Sarah Timmerman, explains how she took total control of her future by designing and building what she calls The House That MS Built—a home engineered from the foundation up to future-proof her independence through smart, universal design and relentless self-advocacy.  We'll also tell you about a research team that identified 4 biomarkers that, together, can help a neurologist understand whether a stem cell therapy is working for their patient weeks before that patient returns to the clinic. We're sharing results of a trial that answered the question, "Can diet actually change what's happening at the cellular level inside the brain?" You'll want to hear these results! And we'll tell you about a research team that has developed a derivative of an HIV medication that restored mobility and vision to mice with the mouse version of MS.  We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week:  The House that MS Built  :22 Have you downloaded the new RealTalk MS app for your iOS or Android device?   1:16 Researchers at Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York identify 4 biomarkers that can help physicians track the response to stem cell therapy in people living with progressive MS   2:01 New research identifies how gut health can lead to nerve cell damage in MS   4:49 Repurposed HIV medication restores lost function in the mouse model of MS  8:48 Sarah Timmerman shares her story and explains how relentless self-advocacy became the foundation for the House that MS Built  12:55 Share this episode  24:09 Next week  24:29 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/474 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id6769516594 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realtalkms.app&pcampaignid=web_share REGISTER: ECTRIMS Patient Community Day 2026 https://ectrimspatientcommunity.eu STUDY: Effect of Intrathecal Injection of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Neural Progenitors on Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13585449 STUDY: High-Fat Diet Promotes T-Cell Mediated Synaptic Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12974-026-04049-x STUDY: The Nucleoside Analog Kamuvudine-9 Shows Protective and Therapeutic Efficacy in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis https://science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aei2870 JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 474 Guest: Sarah Timmerman Privacy Policy

RealTalk MS is celebrating our ninth anniversary, and we're marking the milestone with a special guest! Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and CEO of the National MS Society, returns to the show for a candid, forward-looking conversation about why today represents one of the most promising moments for advancing MS research and transforming clinical care. We're taking a hard look at the game-changers on the horizon: what it will take to shorten the diagnostic journey from years down to mere hours, why it's time to retire outdated disease labels in favor of true precision medicine, and the surprising science behind testing GLP-1s for neuroprotection. From unlocking massive clinical data sets to fighting for research dollars on Capitol Hill, Tim pulls back the curtain on the Society's strategic plan to end MS once and for all. Pop in your earbuds and join us in celebrating nine years of community and conversation! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week:  Dr. Tim Coetzee briefs us on the National MS Society's strategic priorities and shares his vision of the future of MS care  :18 Download the new RealTalk MS app for your iOS and Android smartphone and tablet  1:56 We gave the RealTalk MS website a glow-up!   2:37 Check your congressional representative's grade in the Congressional Healthcare Access Report Card  3:07 Dr. Tim Coetzee discusses the MS Society's strategic priorities and shares his vision of the future of MS care  3:46 Share this episode  37:04 Next week  37:24 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/473 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com REGISTER: ECTRIMS Patient Community Day 2026 https://ectrimspatientcommunity.eu DOWNLOAD: The New RealTalk MS App iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id6769516594 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realtalkms.app&pcampaignid=web_share JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 473 Guest: Dr. Tim Coetzee Privacy Policy

  We are less than 40 days away from MSToronto2026—the joint ECTRIMS/ACTRIMS Scientific Congress. While the congress brings together the world's leading MS researchers and clinicians, Patient Community Day —in person and online—is designed specifically for people affected by multiple sclerosis. This week, Dr. Jennifer Graves and Brett Drummond join me to preview what to expect from Patient Community Day 2026. With less than 50 days until the midterm elections in the United States, the National MS Society is hosting a webinar you can't afford to miss, titled MS Advocacy in Action: What the 2026 Elections Could Mean for Healthcare Policy and Access to Care. We'll tell you how to register (And we'll remind you why you should!). A 22-country survey of over 17,000 people with MS revealed that the invisible symptoms of MS remain critically unaddressed. We're sharing the details of this landmark survey. We're sharing early trial results of a precision red blood cell therapy designed to halt myelin attacks without shutting down the immune system. We'll tell you about the German research team that's repurposing a common, low-cost medication into a skin patch designed to jumpstart natural remyelination. And we'll share a study showing how simple, short voice recordings can predict long-term cognitive changes and brain volume loss in people living with MS. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week:  A preview of Patient Community Day 2026  :22 The National MS Society is hosting a webinar you shouldn't miss   1:32 Results of a landmark survey reveal critical unmet needs among people living with MS   5:27 A new approach to preventing MS inflammatory attacks while keeping the rest of the immune system intact   8:27 Could a skin patch successfully promote myelin repair?  11:42 Can analyzing regular speech predict future brain atrophy in people with MS?  14:34 Dr. Jennifer Graves and Brett Drummond give us a preview of Patient Community Day 2026  18:53 Share this episode  33:01 Next week  33:20 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/472 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com REGISTER: ECTRIMS Patient Community Day 2026 https://ectrimspatientcommunity.eu WEBINAR: Advocacy In Action: What the 2026 Elections Could Mean for Healthcare Policy and Access to Care https://nmss.quorum.us/event/37051 STUDY: Impact of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms Survey: Patient-Reported Data on the Prevalence, Burden, and Management of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in Europe https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261480514 STUDY: Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Peptide-Coupled Red Blood Cells Induces Antigen-Specific T Regulatory Cells https://pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2614908123 STUDY: Automated Speech Analysis Reveals Progressive Linguistic Changes Associated With Subsequent Gray Matter Loss in Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13524585261477213 JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 472 Guest: Brett Drummond and Dr. Jennifer Graves Privacy Policy

Relapses make life with MS unpredictable. Understanding what they are, why they happen, and how best to manage them can make a relapse less scary and easier to navigate.   This week, Dr. Gabriela Karolidis, a board-certified neurologist and neuroimmunologist at Thomas Jefferson University, joins us for a deep dive into MS relapses. The MS International Federation has just updated the Atlas of MS, showing more than 3 million people living with MS worldwide. We're sharing the details behind the new numbers. We'll also share a study showing how wearable activity trackers add a dimension of real-world data that provides a more complete picture of an individual's mobility throughout the day. We'll tell you about research on Vitamin D supplements that fails to determine whether they are beneficial for people living with MS. We're sharing study results showing that social and socioeconomic factors clearly affect cognitive function among people living with MS.  We're also sharing results from a nationwide study in Denmark that focused on whether high-efficacy DMTs affect progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA). And we'll tell you about a fall prevention study that you may be eligible to participate in (compensation provided!). We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Navigating a relapse  :22 Global MS prevalence surpasses 3 million   :57 A study shows that wearable activity trackers help create a more complete picture of an individual's mobility   6:38 Researchers attempt to determine whether Vitamin D supplements help people living with MS   10:14 A study provides evidence that social and socioeconomic factors impact cognitive function in people living with MS  13:58 A nationwide study in Denmark focuses on whether high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies have an impact on progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA)  17:20 You may be eligible to participate in a fall prevention study (compensation is provided)  21:11 Dr. F. Gabriela Karolidis takes us on a deep dive into MS relapses  22:58 Share this episode  37:52 Next week  38:12 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/471 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com STUDY: Global Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis Surpasses 3 Million: 2024 Update of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261479954 RESOURCE: Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS https://msif.org/atlas STUDY: Diurnal Step Count Patterns in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261475910 STUDY: Vitamin D Supplementation and Its Effect on Relapse Frequency and MRI Activity in Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.71692 STUDY: Social and Socioeconomic Factors and Cognitive Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221103482600475X STUDY: Effectiveness of Escalation Versus Early High-Efficacy Therapies on Progression Independent of Relapse Activity In Multiple Sclerosis: A Danish Nationwide Study https://neurologyopen.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001690 PARTICIPATE: University of Illinois Disability, Participation, and Quality of Life Research Laboratory Fall Prevention Study Email: [email protected] REGISTER: ECTRIMS Patient Community Day https://ectrimspatientcommunity.eu JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 471 Guest: Dr. Gabriela Karolidis Privacy Policy