VOL. 15, ISSUE 3, 2026
Robert Fox, MD Managing Director
Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, PhD Scientific Director
Amber Salter, PhD Coordinating Center Director
Gary R. Cutter, PhD Scientific Advisor
Alexis Novak, MS Managing Editor
John Fredieu, PhD Medical Writer and Editor
Samantha Lancia, MS Technical Editor
PUBLISHER
TulipMediaGroup. com
Susan Pascal Managing Editor
Tania McIntyre Graphic Designer
Andrea Escober Project Manager
PHOTOGRAPHY All images sourced from Tulip Media Group or iStock. com unless otherwise identified.
NARCOMS is a project of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers( CMSC). For more information on the CMSC, visit www. mscare. org.
NARCOMS Now acknowledges and appreciates the corporate support that provides unrestricted educational grants through the Foundation of the CMSC toward production costs of NARCOMS Now, including printing and mailing. No control or influence in the content of NARCOMS Now or access to NARCOMS data is provided in return for this support. For any questions regarding NARCOMS Now funding, please call 1-214-648-4583 or email us at MSRegistry @ narcoms. org.
DIRECTOR’ SLETTER
Dear NARCOMS Now Readers:
THIS ISSUE OF NARCOMS Now examines the characteristics and impact of frailty in people with multiple sclerosis( MS). Frailty is often thought of as a condition affecting older adults. Frailty is more common in people with MS than in people without MS. It also occurs at younger ages.
The Feature Focus defines and discusses frailty and how it affects people with MS. It also discusses specific impacts of frailty on people with other chronic diseases and those in socially vulnerable circumstances. The feature describes efforts in diet, mental health, and social engagement that have been reported to help delay or avoid frailty.
In Snapshot, we use NARCOMS Survey data to illustrate changes in the ability to complete activities of daily living over a 10-year period. Some participants improved, while others showed no change or worsening of ability. Such information may be useful to anticipate the development of frailty.
In the MS News section, we summarize a review that examines frailty in relation to neurological diseases, including dementia, Parkinson’ s disease, and MS. We also review an article that investigates whether ocrelizumab could benefit older people with primary progressive MS. Finally, we summarize a study that links frailty with greater disability in progressive MS.
This is our final NARCOMS Now issue of the year. We hope you have enjoyed the information about NARCOMS and MS in general that we provide through NARCOMS Now. Your long-term participation in NARCOMS provides valuable data that sparks innovation in MS research. Thank you for your partnership and continued contributions to MS research!
Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, PhD
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR, NARCOMS
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