Scottish study suggests people born in April most at risk of MS
The results of the study, reported in the Sunday Times Scotland, suggest that mothers pregnant during the dark autumn and winter months were most likely to give birth to those who would develop the condition.
The Glasgow researchers suggest that a mother’s lack of exposure to sunlight during her unborn baby’s development may explain the results, published in the European Journal of Neurology.
Vitamin D is produced through exposure to sunlight and has been linked to genes thought to be associated with MS. Scientists have suggested that a lack of vitamin D could trigger a predisposition to MS in a person’s genetic makeup.
Director for MS Society Scotland, David McNiven, said: “These intriguing results add weight to the evidence that the environment, and in particular sunlight, plays a part in MS and we’re pleased scientists are piecing together the complex puzzle of what may cause this debilitating condition.”
You may racall from an earlier article that research published in the journal PLoS Genetics suggests that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and the early years may increase the risk of the offspring developing MS later in life. See also the article about megadoses of vitamin D lowering the risk of relapse.
If you live ina temperate climate (as of course they do in Scotland) then it is always worth investing in an artificuial sunlight lamp to give you and possibley your child the best chance for a better life. You can find these in lot of places or go here to chevk out the sunlight page
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