Warm weather may impair cognitive function in patients with MS.The Los Angeles Times (2/17, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that "warm weather can...impair cognitive function" in patients with multiple sclerosis, according to a study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting. In a study of 40 patients with MS and an equal number of matched healthy controls, investigators "found that people with multiple sclerosis scored 70% better on thinking tests during cooler days as compared with warmer days." In contrast, there was "no difference in test scores linked to weather conditions for healthy people."
"A brain imaging study published last summer by researchers at Harvard University showed that MS-associated brain lesions actually occur more often in warmer months than in colder ones," WebMD (2/17, Boyles) reported. "Heat appears to slow down nerve impulses that are already impaired by the disease," a neurologist not involved with the study explained.
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