title: Geochemistry and multiple sclerosis: a hypothesis.
abstract: A hypothesis is presented and evidence is adduced to show that high-risk areas of multiple sclerosis are related to the ability of the soils of the locality to obtain and fix molybdenum perferentially to copper. Soil conditons capable of such partition are known to be present characteristically in cool temperate zones and are significantly present in acid podsols of these regions. On the other hand, under tropical and subtropical conditions, molybdenum is normally highly mobile and leached from the environment. Copper may also be leached but can accumulate in caliche deposits. This hypothesis is notopposed to the theory of a viral aetology of multiple sclerosis, but rather seeks to show that certain individuals, if exposed to trace element imbalance at a critical period in life, may be rendered susceptible to a slow virus infection.
mesh_terms: D002980:Climate; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D003718:Denmark; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000032:analysis; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009520:New Zealand; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D012275:Oryza / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D013548:Sweden; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014586:USSR; D006113:United Kingdom; D014675:Vegetables / Q000032:analysis; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D014131:Trace Elements; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D008982:Molybdenum