New Research Suggests Smoking May Worsen MS

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Also Included In: Smoking / Quit Smoking;  Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 19 Aug 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Research published in the journal Neurology suggests that smoking may increase the number of lesions and reduce brain volume in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The New York study also found that people with MS who smoked had increased disability and supports previous research findings, which suggest smoking may increase disability and progression of MS.

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Research Communications Officer at the MS Society, said: "There are several studies that associate smoking with an increased risk of the progression of MS, but none of them take into consideration any other environmental factors that may play a role in the progression of the condition, which is a real limitation.

"In general it is accepted that smoking is bad for your health and this study adds to the body of evidence to support this."

Source
Multiple Scleroris Society