Endocrine and phototransduction effects in the prevention of multiple sclerosis.
In addressing the question of what seems to prevent multiple sclerosis (MS) in the tropics this paper reviews work done by various researchers and suggests that MS incidence may be affected in the ensemble by the endocrine system's response to environment temperature, the skin's response to sunlight, and by the retina's response to brightness. It shows how the hypouricemia which is a reliable indicator in MS patients can leave the blood-brain barrier unsealed in general but allow retinoids to block their access to the central nervous system. It presents published studies as evidence and suggests a number of straightforward tests of these theories which could allow clinicians to advise their MS patients to take appropriate actions to help slow down or prevent disease progression.