title: The possible effects of the solar and geomagnetic activity on multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increasing observational evidence on the biological effects of Space Weather suggests that geomagnetic disturbances may be an environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. In the present study, we aim to investigate the possible effect of geomagnetic disturbances on MS activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  MS patient admittance rates were correlated with the solar and geophysical data covering an eleven-year period (1996-2006, 23rd solar cycle). We also examined the relationship of patterns of the solar flares, the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the solar wind with the recorded MS admission numbers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of MS patient admittance due to acute relapses was found to be associated with the solar and geomagnetic events. There was a "primary" peak in MS admittance rates shortly after intense geomagnetic storms followed by a "secondary" peak 7-8 months later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the geomagnetic and solar activity may represent an environmental health risk factor for multiple sclerosis and we discuss the possible mechanisms underlying this association. More data from larger case series are needed to confirm these preliminary results and to explore the possible influence of Space Weather on the biological and radiological markers of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece. Electronic address: takis25@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papathanasopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preka-Papadema
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gkotsinas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dimisianos
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hillaris
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katsavrias
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Patras, Patra, Greece.
authors.forename: Gregorios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonakopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Xenophon
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Moussas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andreadou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Pinelopi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papachristou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Odysseas
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kargiotis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019445:Solar Activity
keywords: Acute relapses; Coronal mass ejections; Environmental risk factor; Geomagnetic disturbances; Multiple sclerosis; Solar flares; Solar wind