A new study, published in JAMA Network Open, suggested that high consumption of alcohol was involved in the severity of neurodegeneration in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), while smoking made it more likely for an individual to be diagnosed with MS.  

Iris Kleerekooper, MD, clinical research fellow, Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Center, Institute of Neurology, University College London, United Kingdom told that the study results enhanced their understanding of how health-related human behavior was related to the severity of neurodegeneration in MS. It was observed that regular alcohol consumption among MS patients resulted in thinner retinal thicknesses, indicating increased brain atrophy, compared to those who consumed less alcohol. 

The researchers carried out the investigation using the UK Biobank study, which included 71,981 individuals aged 40 to 69 years. Among all, 179 has MS. They studied the link between alcohol consumption and smoking with a diagnosis of MS and retinal thickness.

The study revealed that smoking increased the chances of MS threefold (odds ratio [OR], 3.05). Additionally, regular alcohol intake (daily or almost daily) resulted in 5% thinner macular ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) in patients with MS. But surprisingly, moderate alcohol consumption (once a month up to 4 times a week) reduced the risk of MS diagnosis. The researchers stated that the tendency to quit or limit alcohol intake when sick could have influenced the study findings.(Medscape, March 10, 2022)