A history of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) appears to alter the immune systems of people with specific genetic traits, causing their own cells to mistakenly flag brain proteins as dangerous threats, according to a new study. This discovery offers insight into how these risk factors — viral infection and…
risk factors
A greater intake of vitamin D, from both food and supplements, was linked to a 42% lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) among women living in Norway, according to a large prospective study. “Our findings suggest that a higher dietary intake of vitamin D decreases the risk of…
People exposed to higher levels of certain manufactured compounds that persist in the environment are more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reports. A higher MS risk was associated with elevated levels of PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” and specific metabolites of PCBs,…
Eating more oily fish and wholegrain or wholemeal bread may help reduce a person’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study that used data from a large U.K. database. The findings contribute to growing evidence showing that diet is “a potentially modifiable factor in MS…
People who drink coffee may have a more than 20% lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with those who do not, according to a new analysis of published studies that pooled data from more than 4,500 participants from seven countries. “These results suggest that coffee consumption might…
A clinical trial is now recruiting participants to test whether an experimental vaccine for the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is safe and may help reduce disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Phase 2 study (NCT06735248) aims to enroll 180 adults, ages 18 to 55, with…
Eating more carbohydrates is significantly associated with a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly among women and people younger than 60, according to a study based on data from the U.K. “Higher intakes of total carbohydrates, total sugars, fiber, fructose, and glucose were significantly associated with increased…
A gene on the X chromosome that is more active in women than men appears to drive inflammation in the brain, helping to explain why women are more likely to develop neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study out of the…
Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPF) — products high in additives, artificial ingredients, and extensive processing — is associated with increased disease activity in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), which is the first presentation of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study has found. The analysis used a…
I recently got my yearly influenza vaccine, which protects against the flu. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “In an average year, thousands of people in the United States die from flu, and many more are hospitalized. Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and…
Health Canada is warning that glatiramer acetate products, used in the country to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), may cause a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. The warning follows 11 reported cases of anaphylactic reactions linked to Copaxone — the original brand name of glatiramer…
People genetically prone to a higher body mass index (BMI) are also more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a study finds. The findings confirm an association between being overweight or obese and a higher likelihood of developing MS, and suggest that lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy weight…
While certain autoimmune diseases are linked to an increased risk of digestive system cancers, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be less likely to develop some of these malignancies, according to an analysis of published studies. Researchers found that MS patients are at lower risk of developing pancreatic, esophageal,…
A research project to explore the genetic connection between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) has been awarded a $24,400 incubator grant by the nonprofit MS Australia. Titled “A novel use of human genetics to recruit participants for MS research,” the…
Multiple sclerosis (MS) may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new analysis of genetic data. The findings indicate genetic changes that influence the activity of immune T-cells may play a role in both MS and Alzheimer’s. The study, “Multiple sclerosis…
Researchers have developed a blood test to identify people at risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) years before the first symptoms appear. The test, described in a recent study, looks for antibodies against a protein of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a leading risk factor for MS.
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a significantly greater risk of developing dementia compared with the general population, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis. Of nearly 38,000 MS patients assessed across 10 published studies, about 5% had a diagnosis of dementia. The prevalence was particularly high in…
Infections and stressful life events in childhood may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), while childhood exercise is associated with lower MS risk, according to a study. The findings, part of the German National Cohort (NAKO) population study, imply that programs to encourage physical activity and prevent…
As a whole, disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to reduce the risk of stroke among patients, though their impact varies depending on the type of medication that’s taken. Those are the findings of a new analysis of published studies by scientists in Europe, who noted…
People who experience adversity during childhood, such as abuse or neglect, may be at increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases, but available data that supports this association is generally low quality, a study reports. “Drawing concrete treatment recommendations is premature, given the low certainty of…
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) — a well-established risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) — is able to alter the movements of infected immune cells, a new study reveals. The findings shed new light on how EBV may set the stage for MS to develop, and could potentially form…
Factors including being male, smoking, and having more frequent relapses are linked to significantly increased risk of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a meta-analysis of several published studies. Other variables linked to disease progression included disability score and the use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). “Hence,…
Elevated levels of two bacterial strains from the Lachnospiraceae family in the gut may be a key risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The study, “Multiple sclerosis and gut microbiota: Lachnospiraceae from the ileum of MS twins trigger MS-like disease in germfree…
The thyroid hormone thyroxine, or FT4, may play an indirect role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), which seems to be mediated by certain immune cells, a study suggests. “Future investigations should explore how these immune cells modulate MS onset and progression in the context of thyroid…
The risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) is significantly higher in people who carry a variant of the HLA gene called HLA-E*01:01 and have a history of infectious mononucleosis (mono), the manifestation of an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, according to a study based on U.K. Biobank data. The higher…
Antibodies that target proteins from the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) also can inadvertently attack proteins in the brain, which may help to explain the link between EBV and multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study shows. Findings also indicate that antibodies targeting EBV as well as a person’s genetics both…
A group of manufactured chemicals called hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls, or OH-PCBs, which persist in the environment despite a ban on production, are associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. In turn, another family of compounds highly resistant to environmental breakdown, called…
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who switch from a high- to a moderate-efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) increase their risk of disease activity, especially younger adults and those having inflammatory disease activity before a switch, a study finds. Knowing these factors “can help guide future studies on deescalation,” researchers…
Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were exposed to sunlight for at least half an hour per day during the first summer of life tend to have less disease relapses than those who received less sun exposure during that period, a study found. The risk of relapse was also…
Smoking and obesity are both independently associated with faster disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), but when both risk factors are present together, a synergistic effect results in faster disease progression than can be explained by either alone. “Smoking and obesity significantly interacted to increase the risk of disability…