b'exclusively breastfeed and those that breastfeed about the safety of repetitive exposures tosome and supplement with a bottle some. gadolinium over time. In addition, the use ofThis study shows that the mothers who gadolinium does require that an IV be started.exclusively breastfed had the lowest relapse This new MRI study looks at an MRI techniquerates. This would suggest that exclusive that may allow us to get all of the samebreastfeedingmayprolongtheprotective information we would get with an MRI withhormonal state of pregnancy. The decision to contrast without actually giving the contrast.breastfeed or not is personal and should not Hopefully this and other newer MRI techniquesbebasedsolelyupontheriskofrelapses. will continue to advance.Breastfeeding may be dicult or impossiblefor some mothers for a variety of reasons. Cocoa may help curb fatigueAnimportantmessagefromthisstudy typically associated with MSshould be that pregnancy is not contraindicated According to a new study, cocoa may helpfor women with MS and that for some women, curb the fatigue that is typically associatedthe risk of a postpartum relapse is no higher with multiple sclerosis. Researchers suggestthan at any other time. cocoa may oer an easy, safe approach to theNoncontrast MRI is eective persistent symptom, if conrmed in largerin monitoring MS patients studies.Brain MRI without contrast agent is just as Aftersix weeksthere wasasmalleective as the contrast-enhanced approach improvement in fatigue in 11 of those studyfor monitoring disease progression in patients participants drinking high-avonoid cocoawith multiple sclerosis, according to a new compared with eight of those drinking thestudy. The ndings support the possibility low-flavonoid version. And there was athat contrast enhancement can be omitted moderateeectonfatigability,withthosefrom routine follow-up scans. The study was drinking high-avonoid cocoa able to coverpublished in the journal Radiology. more distance during the six-minute walk test.Dr. Thrower: MRI remains one of our most The ndings were published in the Journalimportant tools for diagnosing and monitoring of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.MS. It truly is the only window we have into Dr. Thrower: Thedoctorsayseatmorethe brain and spinal cord. A contrast agent, chocolate. If only all treatments were thisgadolinium, is frequently given as part of an easy.DarkchocolateisknowntohaveMRI. Gadolinium helps us determine whether anti-inammatory and potential stimulatorythere is active inammation or not. If an MS eects. I was surprised at the results of thislesion enhances or lights up after gadolinium study and hope to see further large studies.is given, we know that lesion is typically six Improvements in fatigue and walking speedweeks old or younger. One of the goals of all were seen in this study. If this is conrmedMS therapies is to stop the formation of new in future studies, I would imagine this wouldlesion formation on MRI. be one of the easiest treatments to discussRecent research has raised some concerns with a person with MS ever.59 msfocusmagazine.org'