Definitions:
- Multiple Sclerosis: Nervous disorder where people suffer from a loss of Myelin Sheath
- Myelin Sheath: a layer which surrounds nerve fibers
- Vitamin D: The primary Vitamin in sunlight
Summary:
Recent studies have lead to the discovery that lack of sunlight (Vitamin D) can lead to a disorder called multiple sclerosis in pregnant women. Multiple sclerosis affects the baby's nervous system and immune system; they don't develop properly, so the baby is left with a nervous disorder. Research was done in Children's Hospital in Melbourne and Australian National University in Acton about this strange disease to track the source and find a cure. Multiple sclerosis develops in the first three to four months of pregnancy. When a pregnant mother doesn't have enough Vitamin D, her unborn child is most likely to develop MS; studies in Australia show that babied born in mid-months of winter (November-December) have a 32% greater chance of of developing MS, whereas babies born in the mid-months of summer (May - June) have a much less risk of developing MS. 1,524 patients were tested to receive accurate data, and upon analysis, scientists can draw the conclusion that Vitamin D plays a key role in the development of MS in pregnant women.
Recent studies have lead to the discovery that lack of sunlight (Vitamin D) can lead to a disorder called multiple sclerosis in pregnant women. Multiple sclerosis affects the baby's nervous system and immune system; they don't develop properly, so the baby is left with a nervous disorder. Research was done in Children's Hospital in Melbourne and Australian National University in Acton about this strange disease to track the source and find a cure. Multiple sclerosis develops in the first three to four months of pregnancy. When a pregnant mother doesn't have enough Vitamin D, her unborn child is most likely to develop MS; studies in Australia show that babied born in mid-months of winter (November-December) have a 32% greater chance of of developing MS, whereas babies born in the mid-months of summer (May - June) have a much less risk of developing MS. 1,524 patients were tested to receive accurate data, and upon analysis, scientists can draw the conclusion that Vitamin D plays a key role in the development of MS in pregnant women.
Discussion
I found this article very interesting; as neurology has always fascinated me, this article appealed to me very much.Vitamin D is a vitamin which is often treated as less important than the others just because you get it from sunlight. But it is a serious problem to have a Vitamin D deficiency. This makes you stop and think--not only does sunlight play a role in photosynthesis, like we are learning right now, but it can also lead to major nervous diseases! Hopefully, in the future, more research will be done so that MS can be prevented.
I found this article very interesting; as neurology has always fascinated me, this article appealed to me very much.Vitamin D is a vitamin which is often treated as less important than the others just because you get it from sunlight. But it is a serious problem to have a Vitamin D deficiency. This makes you stop and think--not only does sunlight play a role in photosynthesis, like we are learning right now, but it can also lead to major nervous diseases! Hopefully, in the future, more research will be done so that MS can be prevented.
Questions
- If too little sunlight can cause a serious nervous disorder, can an excess of sunlight do the same?
- If a vitamin D deficiency is not so uncommon in the winter, are there any supplements pregnant women can take to prevent Multiple Sclerosis?
Citations
- United Press International Inc. "Lack of Sunlight Increses MS Risk." Science
Online. N.p., 30 Apr. 2010. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.fofweb.com/Science/default.asp?ItemID=WE40>. - Multiple Sclerosis Nerve. N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2010.
<http://chattahbox.com/images/2009/06/multiple_sclerosis_nerve.jpg>.
