title: Aging and multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The life expectancy and average age of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased significantly during the last two decades. The introduction of disease-modifying therapies and a better delineation and understanding of the superimposed comorbidities often diagnosed in MS patients are probably the most important factors accountable for the increase in aging MS population worldwide. Healthcare teams must therefore address the problems arising due to advancing age superimposed on this chronic neurologic disease. In this review, we focus on the physiology of aging, its effects on MS disease course, and the pathological and immunological changes associated with aging and disease progression. Additionally, we discuss the common comorbidities that occur in aging persons with MS that may arise either as a result of the aging process or from relentless chronic MS disease progression as well as the challenges on differentiating the two processes for a more appropriate therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Shaik Ahmed
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sanai
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/New York State MS Consortium, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Vasu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/New York State MS Consortium, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ralph Hb
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Benedict
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/New York State MS Consortium, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zivadinov
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/New York State MS Consortium, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Teter
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/New York State MS Consortium, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Murali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Comprehensive MS Treatment and Research Center, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/New York State MS Consortium, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA/Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA bweinstock-guttman@kaleidahealth.org.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weinstock-Guttman
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Aging; comorbidities; multiple sclerosis