Vitamin D and Oligodendrocytes in MS

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http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-ce ... -d/a/45540

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Vitamin D and Oligodendrocytes in MS

The relationship between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis (MS) has been investigated for at least 50 years. It has been implicated epidemiologically in the latitudinal gradient that associates decreased exposure to sunlight in higher latitudes with a higher incidence of MS.

Nicholas LaRocca, PhD, Vice President, Health Care Delivery and Policy Research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, agrees with this theory. "There's a good deal of evidence that specific factors related to latitude, such as exposure to ultraviolet light, have been shown to be related to risk of MS," he says.

In recent studies, low vitamin D levels have been noted as a consistent feature in patients newly diagnosed with MS. In addition, the risk for relapse is reportedly higher in patients with established MS and low vitamin D levels.

35-page full text:
O’Gorman C, Lucas R, Taylor B. Environmental risk factors for multiple sclerosis: a review with a focus on molecular mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci. 2012;13:11718-11752.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3472772/