"Gut Bacteria, Diet Significant In Multiple Sclerosis" - Nancy A. Melville
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) show differences in gut bacteria composition compared with those without the disease, new research shows. Addressing the issue of gut microbiota in a separate talk at the CMSC meeting, Ilana Katz Sand, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and associate medical director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, underscored the increasing interest in the bacterial composition of the gut and how it relates to MS. "We know that 70 percent of the body's immune system is housed inside the gut and there are very important communications between the immune system in the gut and the peripheral immune system, as well as direct communication between the gut and the central nervous system," she said. While results have not been published yet, Dr. Sand said the effects of diet on disease may be much more significant than many realize. "Many people are looking at the feasibility and potential for symptom management with diet changes, but I think we need to be looking at their potential as disease modifiers," she said.
- Ilana Katz Sand, MD, Assistant Professor, Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Associate Medical Director, The Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis