CMSC Live: 2025 Annual Meeting Day 2

Host

• Jeffrey Wilken, PhD
  President-Elect, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC); assistant professor of neurology, Georgetown University; director of Research, Neuropsychology Associates of Fairfax; executive director, Washington Neuropsychology Research Group

Guest

• Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP
  Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto

Segment Breakdown

• 00:00 – Jeffrey Wilken, PhD, introduces Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP, and the topic of his Donald Paty lecture on depression in MS.
• 02:00 – Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP, notes the lack of sex-based differences in MS depression and absence of a genetic link, contrasting with general population trends.
• 04:00 – Structural and functional imaging show limbic system changes in patients with MS who are depressed, offering biological explanations for depression independent of life circumstances.
• 05:00 - Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP, highlights 2 promising drug and discusses strong evidence for internet-based CBT as well as the growing role of digital mental health tools.
• 07:30 - Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP, recommends combining therapy and medication, borrowing from general psychiatry, and notes that most patients with MS prefer psychotherapy, aligning with global mental health trends.
• 9:00 - Depression often goes undiagnosed or untreated in MS clinics and nurses or family members may notice depression first because of time-limited neurology visits.
• 10:30 - Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP, praises the meeting’s behavioral health focus and upcoming sessions on cognitive wellness and brain health. Emphasizes a shift toward supporting patient resilience and well-being, accelerated by the pandemic.
• 11:30 - Jeffrey Wilken, PhD, thanks Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD, FRCP, for his lecture and conversation.

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