FWIW I don't think MS mostly affects people in areas far from the equator although I guess a majority of the world itself is far from the equator.

As I understand it, vitamin D forms part of the blood brain barrier and if vit D is deficient in a blood brain barrier already at risk by increased venous pressure...?

I'm only an AHT but I smell good science in Dr. Zamboni's work .

Deb
(Crawling back under my rock.)

Hey now!

C'mon back over 'ere!

Nice to meet you!

Information from a lot of sources on the prevalence of MS and equatorial distance:
http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuse...ow&pageid=2325

This was one of the first things I thought of when my skepticism gene kicked in when I first started reading about CCSVI. Like I said, there's so much we don't know about the body and the brain...It could be genetics, it could be environmental, it could be diet, it could be we just got the luck of the draw!
I think at this point every theory is worth investigation, and promising theories need more followup.

One question for everyone. My brain doesn't want to answer me right now: Does MS have any association similar to the MJ Fox Foundation, where money is being funneled into the most promising scientific studies? It seems to me that there is one but I cannot recall the name and I would like to see if they are doing any funding of this theory and the studies related to it. TIA!

One possibility is to go back through the interview and find out who the people in the US are that are researching this procedure. Then give money directly to them since it will have more chance of being used for research than paying salaries at other fund raising orgs.

GMI

Here is a decent overview on different possibilities also but personally I still favor the genetic link.

Geographic Distribution
There is a very specific geographic distribution of this disease around the world. A significantly higher incidence of the disease is found in the northernmost latitudes of the northern and the southern hemispheres compared to southernmost latitudes. This observation is based on the incidence of the disease in Scandinavia, northern United States and Canada, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The data from migration studies shows that if the exposure to a higher risk environment occurs during adolescence (before 15 years of age,) the migrant assumes the higher risk of the environment. This concept is nicely illustrated in studies of native-born South African white population with low incidence of the disease versus high incidence of MS among white immigrants from Great Britain, where the disease is much more prevalent (Saud A. Sadiq,James R. Miller et al.) "Epidemics" of MS have been reported and these provide further evidence of importance of environmental factors in MS. The most notable "epidemic" was described on the Faroe Islands after they were occupied by British troops in W.W.II. Similar increases in incidence of the disease were seen on Shetland and Orkney Islands, in Iceland, and in Sardinia. A specific "point agent" for these "epidemics" never was identified.

Population Studies
There are also population studies that show difference in susceptibility to MS between different populations. Lapps in Scandinavia appear to be resistant to the disease, contrary to the expectations based on their geographic distribution. Native Americans and Hutterites very infrequently suffer from MS, as opposed to other residents of the North America. MS is uncommon in Japan, China and South America. It is practically unknown among the indigenous people of equatorial Africa and among native Inuit in Alaska. When the racial differences are correlated, White populations are at greater risk than Asian or African populations. We can not yet explain these obvious inconsistencies in disease distribution, but the knowledge of them may be helpful in assessing specific patients.

Genetic Factors
The incidence of MS in first degree relatives is 20 times higher than in general population, suggesting the influence of genetic factors on the disease. Monozygotic twin studies show the concordance rate of 30%. Dizygotic twins show concordance rate of less than 5%. These results suggest that both the genetic factors and environmental exposure are important in disease expression.

http://library.med.utah.edu/kw/ms/ep...tml#population

Not all of us with spinal lesions have a severe form, are primary progressive or rapidly deteriorating. This just sounds like more of the standard beliefs and impressions that, for some, are not true.

Too many years with this disease and a major skeptic

I am also not a believer in the Vitamin D theroy

I spent most of my childhood in the sun, I have had skin cancer to prove it. I also drank tons of milk. I had MS symptoms starting in childhood.

Welcome to NeuroTalk, Deb

I agree with Snoopers..HI!

There is no and won't ever be, one universal cure for MS.....Too many kinds, too many causes and too many treatments.

However, this one may help some people, so it should not be dismissed....nor should any other legitimate treatment.

And don't forget, Big Pharma doesn't want something cheap and simple, for MS, to come to market!!

Yup, which is why this type of approach is going to probably in a lot of cases fall on us to be proactive about.