Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Latitude has more significant impact on prevalence of multiple sclerosis than ultraviolet level or sunshine duration in Japanese population

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Higher latitude is known to be associated with higher prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the degree of impact of latitude, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and sunshine on the prevalence of MS in Japan, which has 47 prefectures with a variety of climates. MS prevalence in each prefecture was collected from database of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan. Latitude of each prefecture was represented by that of the capital city. Data of UV radiation level and annual actual sunshine duration were obtained from databases of Japan Meteorological Agency. We performed linear correlation analyses of MS prevalence against latitude, UV radiation, and annual actual sunshine duration. MS prevalence significantly correlated to latitude (Pearson’s correlation, r = 0.69, p < 0.001) and UV radiation level (r = −0.65, p < 0.001) but not to annual actual sunshine duration (r = −0.37, p = 0.011). Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses revealed significant correlation between MS prevalence and only latitude (p < 0.001). While our result shows that both latitude and the UV intensity have significant relationship to MS prevalence, the stronger relevance of the former suggests an existence of risk factors other than UV radiation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Simpson S Jr, Blizzard L, Otahal P, Van der Mei I, Taylor B (2011) Latitude is significantly associated with the prevalence of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 82:1132–1141. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2011.240432

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Wallin MT, Page WF, Kurtzke JF (2004) Multiple sclerosis in US veterans of the Vietnam era and later military service: race, sex, and geography. Ann Neurol 55:65–71

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kampman MT, Brustad M (2008) Vitamin D: a candidate for the environmental effect in multiple sclerosis-observations from Norway. Neuroepidemiology 30:140–146. doi:10.1159/000122330

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kinoshita M, Obata K, Tanaka M (2013) Latitude has more significant impact on prevalence of multiple sclerosis than ultraviolet level or sun exposure in Japanese population. Neurology 80(P05):132

    Google Scholar 

  5. Schumacher GA, Beebe GW, Kibler RF, Kurland LT, Kurtzke JF, McDowell F, Nagler B, Sibley WA, Tourtellotte WW, Wilmon TL (1965) Problems of experimental trials of therapy in multiple sclerosis: report by the panel on the evaluation of experimental trials of therapy in multiple sclerosis. Ann NY Acad Sci 122:552–568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Japan Intractable Diseases Information Center. http://www.nanbyou.or.jp/. Accessed 22 Aug 2012

  7. The Statistics Bureau, Director-General for Policy Planning (Statistical Standards) and Statistical Research and Training Institute, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan. http://www.stat.go.jp/. Accessed 22 Aug 2012

  8. Japan Meteorological Agency. http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/index.html. Accessed 30 Jan 2014

  9. Osoegawa M, Kira J, Fukazawa T, Fujihara K, Kikuchi S, Matsui M, Kohriyama T, Sobue G, Yamamura T, Itoyama Y, Saida T, Sakata K, Ochi H, Matsuoka T, Research Committee of Neuroimmunological Diseases (2009) Temporal changes and geographical differences in multiple sclerosis phenotypes in Japanese: nationwide survey results over 30 years. Mult Scler 15:159–173. doi:10.1177/1352458508098372

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Dancey C, Reidy J (2004) Statistics without maths for psychology: using SPSS for windows. Prentice Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hammond SR, McLeod JG, Millingen KS, Stewart-Wynne EG, English D, Holland JT, McCall MG (1988) The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in three Australian cities: Perth, Newcastle and Hobart. Brain 111:1–25

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Taylor BV, Pearson JF, Clarke G, Mason DF, Abernethy DA, Willoughby E, Sabel C (2010) MS prevalence in New Zealand, an ethnically and latitudinally diverse country. Mult Scler 16:1422–1431. doi:10.1177/1352458510379614

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kuroiwa Y, Shibasaki H, Ikeda M (1983) Prevalence of multiple sclerosis and its north-to-south gradient in Japan. Neuroepidemiology 2:62–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Vukusic S, Van Bockstael V, Gosselin S, Confavreux C (2007) Regional variations in the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in French farmers. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 78:707–709

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kurtzke JF, Beebe GW, Norman JE Jr (1979) Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in U.S. veterans: 1. Race, sex, and geographic distribution. Neurology 29:1228–1235

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Risco J, Maldonado H, Luna L, Osada J, Ruiz P, Juarez A, Vizcarra D (2011) Latitudinal prevalence gradient of multiple sclerosis in Latin America. Mult Scler 17:1055–1059. doi:10.1177/1352458511405562

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kuroiwa Y, Igata A, Itahara K, Koshijima S, Tsubaki T (1975) Nationwide survey of multiple sclerosis in Japan. Clinical analysis of 1,084 cases. Neurology 25:845–851

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Shibasaki H, Kubo N, Nishitani H, Saida T, Ohno Y, Fukuyama Y (1992) Nationwide survey of multiple sclerosis in Japan: reappraisal of clinical features. J Trop Geo Neurol 2:73–82

    Google Scholar 

  19. Houzen H, Niino M, Hirotani M, Fukazawa T, Kikuchi S, Tanaka K, Sasaki H (2012) Increased prevalence, incidence, and female predominance of multiple sclerosis in northern Japan. J Neurol Sci 323:117–122. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2012.08.032

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Orton SM, Wald L, Confavreux C, Vukusic S, Krohn JP, Ramagopalan SV, Herrera BM, Sadovnick AD, Ebers GC (2011) Association of UV radiation with multiple sclerosis prevalence and sex ratio in France. Neurology 76:425–431. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e31820a0a9f

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Araki Y, Kinoshita M, Motoyama R, Matsushita T, Nakagawa M, Kira J, Tanaka M (2013) Month of birth in multiple sclerosis with and without longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions: a study of a Japanese national survey. J Neurol Sci 330:67–70. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2013.04.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ramagopalan SV, Handel AE, Giovannoni G, Rutherford Siegel S, Ebers GC, Chaplin G (2011) Relationship of UV exposure to prevalence of multiple sclerosis in England. Neurology 76:1410–1414. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e318216715e

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Lechner-Scott J, Spencer B, de Malmanche T, Attia J, Fitzgerald M, Trojano M, Grand’Maison F, Gomez JA, Izquierdo G, Duquette P, Girard M, Grammond P, Oreja-Guevara C, Hupperts R, Bergamaschi R, Boz C, Giuliani G, van Pesch V, Iuliano G, Fiol M, Cristiano E, Verheul F, Saladino ML, Slee M, Barnett M, Deri N, Flechter S, Vella N, Shaw C, Herbert J, Moore F, Petkovska-Boskova T, Jokubaitis V, Butzkueven H, MSBase study group (2012) The frequency of CSF oligoclonal banding in multiple sclerosis increases with latitude. Mult Scler 18:974–982. doi:10.1177/1352458511431729

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Dobson R, Ramagopalan S, Davis A, Giovannoni G (2013) Cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands in multiple sclerosis and clinically isolated syndromes: a meta-analysis of prevalence, prognosis and effect of latitude. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 84:909–914. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2012-304695

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Karafet TM, Zegura SL, Posukh O, Osipova L, Bergen A, Long J, Goldman D, Klitz W, Harihara S, de Knijff P, Wiebe V, Griffiths RC, Templeton AR, Hammer MF (1999) Ancestral Asian source(s) of new world Y-chromosome founder haplotypes. Am J Hum Genet 64:817–831

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hammer MF, Karafet TM, Park H, Omoto K, Harihara S, Stoneking M, Horai S (2006) Dual origins of the Japanese: common ground for hunter-gatherer and farmer Y chromosomes. J Hum Genet 51:47–58

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Tajima A, Hayami M, Tokunaga K, Juji T, Matsuo M, Marzuki S, Omoto K, Horai S (2004) Genetic origins of the Ainu inferred from combined DNA analyses of maternal and paternal lineages. J Hum Genet 49:187–193

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Nonaka I, Minaguchi K, Takezaki N (2007) Y-chromosomal binary haplogroups in the Japanese population and their relationship to 16 Y-STR polymorphisms. Ann Hum Genet 71:480–495

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Yamaguchi-Kabata Y, Nakazono K, Takahashi A, Saito S, Hosono N, Kubo M, Nakamura Y, Kamatani N (2008) Japanese population structure, based on SNP genotypes from 7003 individuals compared to other ethnic groups: effects on population-based association studies. Am J Hum Genet 83:445–456. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2008.08.019

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Matsuoka T, Matsushita T, Kawano Y, Osoegawa M, Ochi H, Ishizu T, Minohara M, Kikuchi H, Mihara F, Ohyagi Y, Kira J (2007) Heterogeneity of aquaporin-4 autoimmunity and spinal cord lesions in multiple sclerosis in Japanese. Brain 130:1206–1223

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. van der Mei IA, Ponsonby AL, Dwyer T, Blizzard L, Simmons R, Taylor BV, Butzkueven H, Kilpatrick T (2003) Past exposure to sun, skin phenotype, and risk of multiple sclerosis: case-control study. BMJ 327:316

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants for research on intractable diseases from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Utano National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, 8 Ondoyama-Cho, Narutaki, Ukyoku, Kyoto, 616-8255, Japan

    Masako Kinoshita

  2. MS Center, Utano National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, Kyoto, Japan

    Kaoru Obata & Masami Tanaka

Authors
  1. Masako Kinoshita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kaoru Obata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Masami Tanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masako Kinoshita.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kinoshita, M., Obata, K. & Tanaka, M. Latitude has more significant impact on prevalence of multiple sclerosis than ultraviolet level or sunshine duration in Japanese population. Neurol Sci 36, 1147–1151 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-015-2150-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-015-2150-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation