Solar-Flare Induced Increases in Sea-Level Cosmic Ray Intensities and Other Geophysical Phenomena in Relation to Multiple Sclerosis1

Barlow, Joseph J.

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.1966.tb02009.x

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…However he paid attention to an important fact, unfortunately he never realized the critical role of geomagnetic ~60° latitude and possible role of geomagnetic disturbances . He suggested that the relation of MS with geomagnetic latitude is originated from cosmic-ray related production of radioactive atoms in atmosphere and their radiation effects [6]. Nevertheless his opinion is very close to ours in the basic epidemiological aspect, but our hypothesis and its descriptions about MS pathogenesis and special features are completely different from Barlow’s final assumptions.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…It should be noted that attention to the association of MS with geomagnetic coordinates has precedent. About 50 years ago Barlow noticed that geomagnetic latitude could give a better explanation about MS prevalence and some of its special distribution features, such as the cause of lower prevalence of MS in Japan in comparison to other location with identical geographical latitude [6]. However he paid attention to an important fact, unfortunately he never realized the critical role of geomagnetic ~60° latitude and possible role of geomagnetic disturbances .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To achieve this aim, we reviewed possible environmental factors from space to ground level and checked whether their effects on MS epidemiology were studied or not. Interestingly, many factors including extra-terrestrial phenomena such as cosmic ray to solar irradiation, and terrestrial factors such as temperature, humidity, sanitation and steel, food or energy consumption have been investigated [4,6-9]. Considering this list, we found that the possible effect of geomagnetic disturbances (GMD), a phenomenon related to interactions of space-weather situations and magnetosphere, on this disease was not concerned up to now.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geomagnetic disturbances may be environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis: an ecological study of 111 locations in 24 countries

Sajedi

Abdollahi

2012

BMC Neurol

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BackgroundWe noticed that a hypothesis based on the effect of geomagnetic disturbances (GMD) has the ability to explain special features of multiple sclerosis (MS). Areas around geomagnetic 60 degree latitude (GM60L) experience the greatest amount of GMD. The easiest way to evaluate our hypothesis was to test the association of MS prevalence (MSP) with angular distance to geomagnetic 60 degree latitude (AMAG60) and compare it with the known association of MS with geographical latitude (GL). We did the same with angular distance to geographic 60 degree latitude (AGRAPH60) as a control.MethodsEnglish written papers with MSP keywords, done in Europe (EUR), North America (NA) or Australasia (AUS) were retrieved from the PubMed. Geomagnetic coordinates were determined for each location and AMAG60 was calculated as absolute value of numerical difference between its geomagnetic latitude from GM60L. By an ecological study with using meta-regression analyses, the relationship of MSP with GL, AMAG60 and AGRAPH60 were evaluated separately. MSP data were weighted by square root of number of prevalent cases. Models were compared by their adjusted R square (AR2) and standard error of estimate (SEE).Results111 MSP data were entered in the study. In each continent, AMAG60 had the best correlation with MSP, the largest AR2 (0.47, 0.42 and 0.84 for EUR, NA and AUS, respectively) and the least SEE. Merging both hemispheres data, AMAG60 explained 56% of MSP variations with the least SEE (R = 0.75, AR2 = 0.56, SEE = 57), while GL explained 17% (R = 0.41, AR2 = 0.17, SEE = 78.5) and AGRAPH60 explained 12% of that variations with the highest SEE (R = 0.35, AR2 = 0.12, SEE = 80.5).ConclusionsOur results confirmed that AMAG60 is the best describer of MSP variations and has the strongest association with MSP distribution. They clarified that the well-known latitudinal gradient of MSP may be actually a gradient related to GM60L. Moreover, the location of GM60L can elucidate why MSP has parabolic and linear gradient in the north and south hemisphere, respectively. This preliminary evaluation supported that GMD can be the mysterious environmental risk factor for MS. We believe that this hypothesis deserves to be considered for further validation studies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geomagnetic disturbances may be environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis: an ecological study of 111 locations in 24 countries

Sajedi

Abdollahi

2012

BMC Neurol

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“…Moreover, the concept sheds light, in principle, on a number of epidemiological observations on factors possibly involved in the aetiology of MS, in particular EBV infection, the HLA system, geomagnetic disturbances/cosmic radiation, vitamin D levels, and smoking, as well as several others listed in Table 1. The possible involvement of cosmic radiation [77,78] is an aspect in which interest has been revived [1] and it has been investigated recently in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease [79]. Although definitive answers cannot be given to any of the many specific questions raised on possible relations to the hypothetical MLN, it should be noted that the concept as a whole is unique amongst the hypotheses on MS in not contradicting the birth cohort trends [2].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is a hypothetical melanoma-like neuromelanin the underlying factor essential for the aetiopathogenesis and clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis?

Krone

Grange

2013

BMC Neurol

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BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) has undergone a significant increase in incidence in the industrialised nations over the last 130 years. Changing environmental factors, possibly infections or a lack of or altered timing of them, determine the prevalence of the disease. Although a plethora of aetiological factors, clearly evident in a group of children with MS, appear relevant, there may nevertheless be a single factor essential for the aetiopathogenesis and clinical manifestation of MS.Description and discussionThis hitherto unknown factor is postulated to be a ‘melanoma-like neuromelanin’ (MLN) dependent on the activation of a gene for syncytin-1. An involvement of MLN could explain the diverse findings in the epidemiology, immunology and pathology of MS, requiring a consideration of a complex infectious background, the human leucocyte antigens, as well as cosmic radiation causing geomagnetic disturbances, vitamin D deficiency, smoking, and lower levels of uric acid.SummaryIn principle, the MLN-based concept is a unifying one, capable of explaining a number of characteristics of the disease. To date, MLN has not been addressed in studies on MS and future work will need to be done on human patients, as there is little or no neuromelanin (the precursor of MLN) in the animals used as experimental models in the study of MS.

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“…Another line of investigation has been the relationship of geomagnetic latitude and MS. Geomagnetic latitude is analogous to geographic latitude with orientations to the magnetic north and south poles instead of the geographic poles. In the 1960s, Barlow [4] suggested that the prevalence of MS was more closely related to geomagnetic latitude than geographic. The influence of the sun also varies with latitude.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between Geomagnetic Disturbances and Multiple Sclerosis at the Edge of the Auroral Zone

Janzen

Warren²,

Hector³

et al. 2014

Epidemiol

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Objective: The impact of geomagnetic disturbances at the earth's surface is greatest at higher geomagnetic latitudes, particularly between 60-75°C. The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) also has a latitudinal gradient. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the hypothesis that geomagnetic disturbances may have a role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods:A retrospective design was used to examine the correlations between the birth rate of MS patients and two geomagnetic indices, sunspots and the A-index. Birth rate data was derived from a clinical database of patients residing in a region near 60° N geomagnetic latitude from 1920-1980. Results:Results indicated that the intensity of geomagnetic disturbances, as measured by the A-index, had a stronger relationship to MS birth rate than the count of sunspots. Overall, the A-indices had small to moderate correlations with MS birth rates, combined (r=0.31-0.50) and by sex (male r=0.28-0.43; female r=0.24-0.50), over 60 years. Correlations were stronger as the length of exposure increased. That is, exposure in early childhood (birth year+3 years) and throughout childhood (birth year+12 years) exhibited generally higher correlations (early r=0.28-0.49; throughout r=0.24-0.50) than exposure during birth year alone (r=0.30-0.39). Conclusion:The results of this study indicate that geomagnetic disturbances may be a risk factor in the development of MS. The cumulative effect of exposure may be of importance. The advantages of examining exposure in utero and childhood are that birth cohorts can examine risk factors occurring early in life, can reduce the impact of period effects, and can meet the assumption of order-effect as we search for causal factors contributing to MS. The mechanism whereby geomagnetic disturbances may affect disease is unknown and warrants further exploration.

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Solar-Flare Induced Increases in Sea-Level Cosmic Ray Intensities and Other Geophysical Phenomena in Relation to Multiple Sclerosis1

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

Geomagnetic disturbances may be environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis: an ecological study of 111 locations in 24 countries

Geomagnetic disturbances may be environmental risk factor for multiple sclerosis: an ecological study of 111 locations in 24 countries

Is a hypothetical melanoma-like neuromelanin the underlying factor essential for the aetiopathogenesis and clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis?

The Relationship between Geomagnetic Disturbances and Multiple Sclerosis at the Edge of the Auroral Zone

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