Study finds no link between stress and onset of MS

May 31, 2011

By Jennifer LaRue Huget

Though anecdotal and scientific evidence has suggested that stress may exacerbate symptoms of multiple sclerosis, it’s not known whether stress can actually trigger onset of the disease.

A study published Monday in the journal Neurology takes a fresh look at the issue and finds little to suggest that either ongoing life stress or the presence of a traumatic circumstance in a woman’s history is associated with the onset of MS.

MS is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the sheaths covering nerves in the brain and spinal column. It’s thought to be caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental trigger; stress could serve as such a trigger.

The new research looked at data from two big, multi-year surveys of female nurses who reported on various aspects of their health. Researchers examined 369 cases of women whose MS had first appeared after data regarding their experience with stress had been collected. That allowed a temporal relationship to be established in which the report of stress clearly came before the onset of MS.

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