Protecting against disability in early Multiple Sclerosis
Official title: Reserve against Disability in Early Multiple Sclerosis (RADIEMS) Longitudinal Cohort Study
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11158621 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how diet and body weight might help people with early multiple sclerosis maintain their brain function and reduce disability over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 11, 2016 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $718,736 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD082176-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158621 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis early in their disease course, especially those who were part of the original RADIEMS cohort.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with advanced multiple sclerosis or those not able to make lifestyle changes may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Multiple sclerosis (MS) often leads to problems with thinking and movement due to changes in the brain. This long-term project continues to follow people who were diagnosed with MS early in their disease. We are looking at how lifestyle factors, specifically a healthy diet (like the MIND diet) and maintaining a healthy body weight (BMI), might help preserve brain tissue and overall function. The goal is to understand if these factors can either prevent brain loss or help individuals maintain their abilities even if some brain changes occur. Participants undergo regular MRI scans and comprehensive tests of their thinking and movement skills over several years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could identify practical lifestyle changes that help people with early MS maintain their brain health and functional abilities for longer.
How similar studies have gone: This project is a renewal of an existing cohort study, building upon prior work to better understand functional decline in multiple sclerosis.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sumowski, James Francis — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Sumowski, James Francis
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Mediterranean-style eating and aging in people with multiple sclerosis
This project looks at whether following a Mediterranean-style diet is linked to slower biological aging and less brain shrinkage in people living with multiple sclerosis.
-
Low-Load BFR Training to Help People with Advanced MS Improve Strength
A randomized trial tests whether low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction can improve muscle strength for people with advanced multiple sclerosis.
-
Home-based activity tracking to predict MS progression and support trials
A study using wearable activity trackers to help predict disability progression in people with progressive multiple sclerosis and make clinical trials more efficient.
-
Gentle strength training with blood flow restriction for people with advanced MS
This study will see if gentle, low-intensity strength exercises using a cuff to restrict blood flow help people with advanced multiple sclerosis gain muscle and move better.
-
Mediterranean diet, biological aging, and multiple sclerosis progression
This project looks at whether a Mediterranean-style diet links to slower biological aging and less brain shrinkage in people living with multiple sclerosis.
-
Identifying imaging markers of nerve damage in multiple sclerosis
This study is looking at how we can see nerve damage in people with multiple sclerosis using special imaging techniques, which could help us track how the disease changes over time and how well new treatments are working.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.