risk factors

Past infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been reported to increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). Now, researchers have found a link between EBV and MS in three racial-ethnic groups, with African-Americans and Latinos showing a higher risk for MS than Caucasians.

The risk of people with multiple sclerosis developing cancer is higher if they have used immunosuppressants than if they haven’t, according to a study that followed more than 1,000 patients for a decade. The findings indicate that the often discussed association between MS and cancer may stem from older types of…

Last week saw much of the Pacific Northwest blanketed by smoke from wildfires in British Colombia. As I pondered the gray haze Thursday, I recalled a piece from a fellow columnist in June about air pollution and MS. In addition to MS, I also have asthma. Therefore, the health…

Women who breastfeed for 15 months or longer may have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than those who breastfeed for shorter periods or not at all, according to a recent study. The study also suggests that women who had their first…

A variation in the NLRP1 gene is associated with multiple sclerosis that runs in families, Slovenian researchers report. Their study, “Identification of rare genetic variation of NLRP1 gene in familial multiple sclerosis,” was published in the journal Scientific Reports. The research was led by Dr. Borut Peterlin of Ljubljana University Medical Center's Clinical Institute of Medical Genetics. Scientists believe MS arises from a combination of a person's genetic background and the environment. Although previous studies have suggested that genes are behind MS that runs in families, researchers had yet to confirm that hypothesis. The Slovenian team wanted to identify any genes that were at play in both the MS and malignant melanoma that two siblings had. Although disease surveys indicate the two conditions can occur together, scientists had been unable to identify a shared cause for the two conditions. Interestingly, research has shown a link between a person's susceptibility to MM and a mutation of the NLRP1 gene. And recent studies have indicated that NLRP1 plays a role in the development of MM. The Slovenian team decided to evaluate the association between an NLRP1 mutation and multiple sclerosis in two groups. One consisted of 38 people with MS whose disease ran in the family. The other was 44 people with MS whose disease did not run in their family. Researchers used genomic, molecular biology and immunology measurements to decide whether there was a link between the mutation and MS. They found a connection between the mutation and MS that runs in families. The mutation affects the function of the protein the gene generates — a protein known to be involved in inflammatory processes. Researchers also found other NLRP1 mutations in patients with and without a family history of MS that they believe could be involved in the development of the disease. In addition, the team found evidence of a connection between MS associated with NLRP1 mutations and the development of MM. That evidence involved immune responses to the two conditions. Stimulating the production of immune-system components known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells, or PBMCs, triggered immune responses in MS patients with NLRP1 mutations. The responses included increased production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Higher levels of that protein have been found in MM tissue. PBMCs include such immune cells as lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages. "IL-1β has been implicated in a variety of inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes occurring in MS,” the researchers wrote. Overall, the findings demonstrated an association between MS running in families and MM, they said. And the genetic link between the two may be the NLRP1 gene mutation, they added. The team said scientists might be able to develop a treatment for MS by finding a way to lower the increased production of IL-1β that NLRP1 mutations trigger.

Cigarette smoking is certainly no good for you, but it may not necessarily make your primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) worse, a new study finds. The study, “Smoking does not influence disability accumulation in primary progressive multiple sclerosis,” appeared in the European Journal of Neurology. It contradicts what was…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. **** Air Pollution May Trigger Relapses in MS Patients, French Study Finds Attention if you live in location where the air…

In case you missed them, here are some news stories that appeared in MS News Today that caught my eye over the past week. Ocrevus Market Entry Already Changing Dynamics in MS Treatment Choices, Spherix Analysis Suggests   Are pills, shots, or infusions the therapy…

A study of nearly 600 children with multiple sclerosis reported that genes linked to low vitamin D levels and obesity contribute to the risk of developing MS in childhood. While the two are also risk factors for adult-onset MS, obesity and low vitamin D have a larger risk impact on children than adults. The…

A large-scale study revealed potential adverse reactions to beta-interferon (IFN-β) therapy, one of the most common treatments used for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). According to the study published in the journal Neurology, patients have an increased risk of stroke, migraine, depression, and of developing abnormalities in the blood. In…

A variation in a gene that likely promoted resistance to malaria in Sardinia may have increased the risk of people there developing autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study, “Overexpression of the Cytokine BAFF and Autoimmunity Risk,” was published in The…

The risk of children developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life has no link to how much sunlight their mothers were exposed to during pregnancy, a Polish study found. The study, “Month of birth and level of insolation as risk factors for multiple sclerosis in Poland,” appeared in the journal…

Smoking can kill off the immune cells that commonly protect people from multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases, say researchers at the University of Copenhagen — a finding that may lead to new ways of treating such illnesses. Their study, “Smoking reduces circulating CD26hiCD161hi MAIT cells in healthy…

A combination of mutations in two genes makes members of a Canadian family a 7-in-10 chance of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) — a radical increase from the 1-in-1,000 risk among the general population, according to a study that illustrates the huge impact certain genes can have on disease development. Interestingly, the…

A popular theory of what contributes to developing multiple sclerosis is a disease called mononucleosis (also known as glandular fever), which can be caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is thought that the virus weakens our defenses in the blood-brain barrier, allowing white blood…

The use of antibiotics in childhood, which alters the microbiome — or natural bacteria flora in the gut — may increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory diseases, according to an Australian study. The mouse study, “Early-life antibiotic treatment enhances the…

Mothers with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, have a higher risk of having children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a Norwegian study. The findings were reported in a study titled “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Offspring of Mothers With Inflammatory and Immune System Diseases”…

A person unlucky enough to have two specific gene variants is at significantly higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study. The research, which gave scientists insight into the processes that cause MS, also suggested that another mutation increased the effects of a known MS risk gene. The…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to develop kidney or bladder stones than those without MS, a new study concludes. The report, “Multiple sclerosis and nephrolithiasis: a matched-case comparative study,” appeared in the journal BJU International. Stone disease is highly lethal in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition that,…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who smoke have a significantly worse quality of life than non-smoking MS patients, concludes a new study. Researchers presented the study, “Smokers with MS have greater decrements in quality of life and disability than non-smokers,” at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in…

In a U.S. nationwide case study, a team of researchers found evidence for a potential link between viral infections during childhood, vitamin D deficiency, and the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, “Environmental risk factors associated with pediatric MS: The role of remote viral infections and vitamin D revisited,” was recently…

A 60-year follow-up study of nearly 1,400 Norwegian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) analyzed their survival and risk of dying starting with the onset of the disease through its progression. The study, “A 60- year follow-up on survival and cause of death in multiple sclerosis in Western Norway,” was recently…

Ten years after completing treatment with Novantrone (mitoxantrone), a chemotherapy drug, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients showed evidence of markedly lower annualized relapse rates, but the therapy’s effects began to wane after five years, a study presented at ACTRIMS 2017 Forum reported. The study also assessed how Novantrone affects disease progression in primary and secondary progressive…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be caused by genetic factors, but environmental cues are increasingly recognized to have an impact on disease onset and development. One environmental factor suggested to play a role in MS is infectious agents, such as viruses. Now, different teams of scientists have explored the…

New evidence strengthens the link between a diet high in salt and multiple sclerosis (MS) development, researchers show. The study, “Sodium Chloride Intake and MS,” was presented on Feb. 24 at the ACTRIMS) 2017 Forum being held in Orlando, Florida, by Dr. David Hafler with the Yale School of Medicine. The…

First-degree relatives of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may develop asymptomatic disease, suggesting the need to further evaluate family members to develop timely prevention strategies. The study, “Investigating early evidence of multiple sclerosis in a prospective study of high risk family members,” was presented at the Americas Committee for Treatment and…

Obesity in early adolescence poses a risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) regardless of sex, and an earlier age at puberty also contributes to MS onset at younger ages, especially in overweight teenagers, a study reports. These findings were in the study, “Distinct…

Small natural variations within the DNA sequence of the gene for interleukin-16 (IL-16) were linked to an increased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS) in a small group of Iranian patients. The study, “The Association of Interleukin-16 Gene Polymorphisms with IL-16 Serum Levels and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis,” was published in…

The key to why more women than men develop multiple sclerosis (MS) may be genes that influence physical traits, such as weight, height, and body shape, according to a new study. Researchers caution that the findings need to be verified, but they said processes leading to disease may differ between…

Family members of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are asymptomatic but at a higher risk of developing the disease themselves are more likely to have early signs of the disease, according to a study published in JAMA Neurology and titled "Assessment of Early Evidence of Multiple Sclerosis in a Prospective Study of Asymptomatic High-Risk Family Members". These people should therefore be closely monitored.