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Association between seasonal factors and multiple sclerosis

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Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system. MS is causing progressive and relapsing neurological disability, due to demyelination and axonal damage. The etiopathogenesis of MS is poorly understood. A number of environmental factors have been previously suggested, including: month of birth, vitamin D levels, smoking and viral infections. Previous studies assessing seasonal variation of relapses in multiple sclerosis have had conflicting results. The aim of this review is to assess the association between seasonal factors and MS, in terms of disease onset, relapses and activity.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Medicine ‘B’, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Tel Aviv, Israel

      Abdulla Watad, Shir Azrielant, Arsalan Abu Much & Howard Amital

    2. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

      Abdulla Watad, Shir Azrielant, Danielle Bracco, Arsalan Abu Much & Howard Amital

    3. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy

      Alessandra Soriano

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    1. Abdulla Watad
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    Correspondence to Abdulla Watad.

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    Abdulla Watad and Shir Azrielant have equally contributed to this work.

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    Watad, A., Azrielant, S., Soriano, A. et al. Association between seasonal factors and multiple sclerosis. Eur J Epidemiol 31, 1081–1089 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-016-0165-3

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