title: Association between seasonal factors and multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system. MS is causing progressive and relapsing neurological disability, due to demyelination and axonal damage. The etiopathogenesis of MS is poorly understood. A number of environmental factors have been previously suggested, including: month of birth, vitamin D levels, smoking and viral infections. Previous studies assessing seasonal variation of relapses in multiple sclerosis have had conflicting results. The aim of this review is to assess the association between seasonal factors and MS, in terms of disease onset, relapses and activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Tel Aviv, Israel. watad.abdulla@gmail.com.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. watad.abdulla@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abdulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watad
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Tel Aviv, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Shir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azrielant
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova - IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bracco
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Tel Aviv, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Arsalan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abu Much
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine 'B', Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Tel Aviv, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amital
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Autoimmunity; Environment; Melatonin; Month of birth; Multiple sclerosis; Seasonality; Vitamin D