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Monday, December 13, 2004
MS linked with birth month
People born in May in the northern hemisphere have a higher than average risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).
A study of more than 42,000 people in Canada, Britain, Denmark and Sweden showed that May babies have a 13 percent increased chance of suffering from the illness later in life, but that having a November birthday decreased the average odds by 19 percent.
The effect was similar in all the countries but most prominent in Scotland, which has the highest rate of MS in the world.
Although the scientists cannot explain the correlation, they suspect it could be linked to sunlight exposure and the mother’s vitamin D levels, which could influence the child’s development.
Shorter days in the winter in the northern hemisphere limit the amount of sunlight women are exposed to during pregnancy. The body makes vitamin D from sunlight. Food like oily fish and egg yolk are rich in the vitamin.
MS occurs when immune system cells attack and destroy the myelin sheath that protects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The cause is unclear. Scientists believe it may be a combination of genetic, dietary and environmental factors.
It is rare in Africa and most common in colder countries. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20-50. More women than men suffer from MS, which can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms, such as tingling, fatigue, loss of balance and slurred speech, are intermittent.
Researchers said that the findings could partly explain the increased risk of MS in second-generation Asian and Caribbean migrants to the United Kingdom.
(December 13, 2004 issue)
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