Hackensack, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/03/2014 -- Providing a unique forum for healthcare professionals to learn about the latest research, diagnosis and treatment for multiple sclerosis, the Cooperative Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS®) attracted a record number of healthcare professionals to its annual meeting. Over the course of four days, May 28-31, close to 2,000 neurologists, nurses, pharmacists, rehabilitations professionals, psychologists and other disciplines, attended the conference at the Anatole Hilton in Dallas, TX.

“The CMSC & ACTRIMS Annual Meeting opened my eyes to international opportunities in multiple sclerosis care and research,” said Albert Joseph of The University of Oxford.

The Annual Meeting focused on a multiple sclerosis collaborative care model and covered: basic and clinical research; disease modifying treatments and new and emerging therapies; as well as rehabilitation; psychosocial issues; gender specific concerns; advocacy issues and quality of life strategies.

Highlights of the 2014 CMSC & ACTRIMS Annual Meeting included:

-Over 40 educational sessions and lectures, 30 platform presentations and a variety of poster sessions offering continuing education credit for physicians, nurses, psychologists, pharmacists and social workers.

-Topics of high interest included: “Tolerance-Directed Immunotherapy: Future of MS Treatment?” “Stem Cell Update;” “The North American Registry for Care and Research in MS (NARCRMS);” and “Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy that Improves Fatigue in MS Patients.”

-Eight independently supported satellite symposia offering additional continuing education credit opportunities.

-Unique educational opportunities including daily opening lectures with top MS experts, Meet the Professor dinner, on-site multiple sclerosis nurses certification exam; breakout sessions and meeting for special interest groups.

-In-depth discussion of important topics on multiple sclerosis and comprehensive care including “The Role of the Advanced Practice Clinician;” “Nutrition and MS;” “Complementary and Alternative Medicine:’ “Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) Update;” and “Gender Issues in MS.”

-Special Interest Group content and meetings for rehabilitation therapists, private practitioners, pharmacists, young investigators, mental health professionals, and VA healthcare professionals.

-Networking opportunities including poster sessions, platform presentations, morning exercise programs, and evening entertainment with a concert by country star, Clay Walker.

-Top exhibitors showcasing the latest in products and services for multiple sclerosis care.

In addition, numerous awards were presented at the conference that recognized the achievement of young scholars, poster presenters, MS researchers, and CMSC members.

The 2014 Award Winners were:

The Labe C. Scheinberg Award to Donald A. Barone, Evan T. Cohen, Susan Gould-Fogerite, Dave M. Kietrys, Shafeah Morrison, Mariella Silva, and Kristen Yost for their pilot study of the “Effects of an 8-week Integrative Yoga Program on Function and Quality of Life in People with Moderate Multiple Sclerosis - Related Disability.” ?

The IOMSN Linda Morgante Hope Award for a poster which best represents a spirit of optimism and possibility related to clinical care or education for patients with MS and their families that went to Tvonne C. Learmonth, Robert W. Motl, Teresa Ostler, Ian M. Rice, and Laura A. Rice.

The CMSC Research Award for Best Platform went to: Caterina Asuini, Mario Alberto Battaglia, Cristina Becchio, Giampaolo Brichetto, Andrea Cavallo, Umberto Castiello Ludovico Pedulla, Luisa Sartori, and Andrea Tacchino for “Social Cognition Decline in Multiple Sclerosis: Evidence from Intention Recognition.”

The CMSC Research Award for Best Poster went to: Channa Kolb-Sobieraj, Mitchell Kopacz, Katelyn S. Kovak, Barbara E. Teter, Biana Weinstock-Guttman, and Karen Zakalik for “High Body-Mass Index and Weight in Young Adulthood is Associated with a Younger Age of Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Onset and Diagnosis.”

The CMSC Education Award for Best Platform went to: Elizabeth A. Hubbard, Rachel E. Klaren, and Robert W. Motl for “Efficacy of a Behavioral Intervention for Reducing Sedentary Behavior in People with Multiple Sclerosis.”

The CSMC Education Award for Best Poster went to: Curtis A. Benson, Camille A. Juzwik, Jason R. Plemel, and Michelle Ploughman for “The Effects of Antioxidant Supplements on Progression of Multiple Sclerosis: a Systematic Review of Human and animal Studies for Clinicians and Patients”

The Whitaker Prize for MS Research was awarded to Albert Joseph for “Right Under our Noses: Pathology in Central Nervous System Demyelinating Diseases.”

The Herndon Award for Outstanding IJMSC Article, recognizes the best article published in the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC). Gray A. Vargas and Peter A. Arnett (The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA), were honored for their Summer 2013 article entitled: “Attributional Style and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis: The Learned Helplessness Model.”

“The CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting was successful in providing a comprehensive forum for healthcare professionals to grow their MS knowledge that will result in a better understanding of the disease and improve care to patients and families,” said June Halper, MSN, APN-C, MSCN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer of CMSC.

To access some of the presentations from the 2014 Cooperative Meeting go to http://www.mscare.org/?page=2014amslides. The 2015 Cooperative Meeting of CMSC & ACTRIMS will take place May 27-29, at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, IN.

For more information as well as year-round resources for MS information, continuing education opportunities, and CMSC membership information visit: http://www.mscare.org.

About CMSC
The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) is the leading educational, training, and networking organization for MS health-care professionals and researchers. The CMSC’s mission is to promote quality multiple sclerosis care through educational programming and accreditation including live and online events, research grants, technical journals and papers, and targeted advocacy efforts. The CMSC member network includes more than 7,000 international health-care clinicians and scientists committed to multiple sclerosis care as well as more than 60 Veterans Administration MS Programs and 225 MS Centers in the US, Canada, and Europe.

CMSC’s and IOMSN’s official, peer-reviewed journal, the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC), publishes high-quality research, reviews, and consensus papers on a broad range of clinical topics of interest to MS health-care professionals, and is mailed to its membership at no charge. All IJMSC content is available at http://ijmsc.org. For more information on the CMSC, visit http://www.mscare.org.