Can a Sunny Childhood Reduce MS Risk Later in Life?

Growing up in sunnier regions may shield individuals from developing multiple sclerosis (MS) decades later. In this study, researchers reviewed the history of 400 women with an average age of 40 and found that those who lived in regions with the highest levels of UV-B exposure between the ages of 5 and 15 were 51% less likely to develop MS than those who spent their childhood in areas with less UV-B exposure. The findings are not surprising because UV-B rays play a role in vitamin D production and past research has linked low levels of vitamin D with an elevated risk of MS. Neurology, March 2018