Helping Protect Your Brain

AVONEX may help reduce the silent signs of MS

Delaying future disability may be a primary goal of MS treatment, but it's still important to measure ongoing MRI activity. Otherwise, how can you know if you're still on track? This is especially true because MS can progress without symptoms.

That's why your doctor will review your MRIs for evidence of silent MS activity, including brain lesions and brain shrinkage. While the exact relationship between MRI findings and your overall health is not fully understood, MRIs give you and your doctor a measurable way to track your MS and evaluate how well your treatment is working.

AVONEX reduces brain lesions

AVONEX has been shown to slow down brain shrinkage. In the second year of a clinical study, people taking AVONEX had 55% less brain shrinkage than people who were not treating their MS.

Not all brain shrinkage is the same

Your brain is made of two types of tissue: gray matter and white matter. Studies have shown that of the two, losing gray matter may be a stronger sign of future disability, so it's especially important to protect gray matter.

In one study, people who were not taking an MS treatment lost a significant amount of gray matter over three years. People taking AVONEX did not lose any gray matter at all.