Multiple Sclerosis Risk High in Teens With Abnormal Sleep Patterns

Disruption of normal sleep pattern among teenagers by either working late at night or on odd shifts may increase the risk of multiple sclerosis, a new study conducted by Swedish researchers reveals. According to the study, published in the Annals of Neurology, working late or at odd hours disturbs the circadian rhythms which in turn increase the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease, thyroid disorders and cancer.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm analyzed data from two separate studies involving volunteers between 16 and 70 years of age and found that those who had worked at late hours for three years before the age of 20 had an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

“Our analysis revealed a significant association between working shift at a young age and occurrence of MS. Given the association was observed in two independent studies strongly supports a true relationship between shift work and disease risk”, lead researcher Dr Anna Karin Hedstrom said.


Source-Medindia