MS (Multiple sclerosis)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a lifelong, often disabling neurological condition that affects over 100,000 people in the UK—striking people at the peak of their lives, typically between the ages of 20 and 40. It disproportionately affects women.

Alarmingly, Scotland has one of the highest rates of MS in the world—making it a critical location for research and innovation in tackling this devastating disease.

There is currently no cure for MS. While treatments can help manage symptoms and reduce relapses, people with MS—especially those with progressive forms—continue to face worsening disability and uncertainty about their future.

The four main types of MS are:

• clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)

• relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)

• primary-progressive MS (PPMS)

• secondary-progressive MS (SPMS)

FIXin-MS (Fatigability induced by exercise in MS)

Dr Georgia Andreopoulou (Academic Physiotherapist) and Dr Don Mahad (Senior Clinical Research Fellow) are investigating fatigability induced by exercise in patients with progressive MS.

Georgia and Don work at the forefront of MS care and research, combining hands-on clinical expertise with pioneering research at the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic. Their work is driven by a shared commitment to transforming outcomes for people living with MS—where new discoveries can’t come soon enough.

The FIXin-MS study harnesses cutting-edge wearable technologies to measure how physical activity affects fatigue in people with MS—offering real-time insights that could revolutionise how we monitor, predict, and manage this complex condition.

More traditional methods will also be key, including monitoring eye health (eye charts) and hand dexterity (9-hole peg tests) to help better track MS symptoms and progression.

Thanks to the generosity of study participants, the data collected in FIXin-MS could allow clinicians to predict the course of MS up to four years earlier than current scan-based methods—a game-changing breakthrough in how we approach treatment planning and disease monitoring.

Early-stage research is both crucial and costly. Groundbreaking studies like FIXin-MS rely on specialist equipment—such as wearable fatigue trackers (£350 each), dexterity tests (£200), and eye charts (£100)—to gather the most accurate, meaningful data. Every donation helps us reach further and faster.

Progressive MS currently has no cure—and no way to stop its relentless advance. With your support, we can change that. By donating to the FIXin-MS study, you're helping us move one step closer to a future where MS is better understood, better managed, and, ultimately, overcome.

ARRNC (Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic)

The Anne Rowling Clinic at the University of Edinburgh is a globally leading, patient-centred, integrated care-research facility. We seamlessly integrate the best NHS health care with the best University health research, as key to discovering and trialling new treatments for MS and other neurological conditions.

It is not-for-profit initiative that has charitable status through the University of Edinburgh Development Trust. Find out about fundraising for, or donating to, the Clinic.

www.annerowlingclinic.org