The possible solar and geomagnetic activity effects on the neurological disease of

Multiple Sclerosis

A. Gkotsinas1, P. Preka-Papadema1, N. Dimisianos2, P. Papachristou2, G. Antonakopoulos3 , P. Papathanasopoulos2 , X. Moussas1, A. Hilaris1

1 Department of Astrophysics, Astronomy and Mechanism, Faculty of Physics, University of Athens.2 Department of Neurology, University of Patras, Patra, Greece.3 Section of Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Patra.

The 23rd Solar Cycle described by the sunspots number

1/12/1997 1/12/1999 1/12/2001 1/12/2003 1/12/2005-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

R(z

)

Time

R(z)

Solar Eruptive Phenomena: Flares and CMEs

Earth’s magnetosphere and interaction with the solar wind

DST index for the 23rd solar cycle with a 30 points smoothing

30/12/1997 30/12/1999 29/12/2001 29/12/2003 28/12/2005-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

Dst

(nT)

Date

DST 30 pts SG smooth of DST

Space Weather

Affects: Technology Communications Health: -Heart

-Mental Health

-Blood Pressure

-Strokes

Papers on human health and space weather

Palmer S. J. RMJ, Cormack M. “Solar and geomagnetic activity, extremely low frequency magnetic and electric fields and human health at the Earth’s surface”. Surv Geophys 2006;26:557-595

Breus T.K., Pimenov KY, Cornelissen G, Halberg E, Syutkina EV, Baevsky RM, Petrov VM, OrthGomer K, Akerstedt T, Otsuka K, Watanabe Y, Chibisov SM (2002) “The biological effects of solar activity”, Biomed Pharmacother 56 (Suppl 2):273s–283s

Cornelissen G, Halberg F, Breus T, Syutkina EV, Baevsky R, Weydahl A, Watanabe Y, Otsuka K,Siegelova J, Fiser B, Bakken EE (2002) “Non-photic solar associations of heart rate variability and myocardial infarction”. J Atmos Sol-Terr Phys 64:707–720

Stoupel E,Martfel JN, Rotenberg Z (1994) “Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and stroke (cerebrovascular accidents) in males and females above and below age 65 on days of different geomagnetic activity levels”. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmocol 5(3–4):315–329

Stoupel E, Abramson E, Sulkes J,Martfel J, Stein N, Handelman M, Shimshoni M, Zadka P, Gabbay U (1995) “Relationship between suicide and myocardial infarction with regard to changing physical environmental conditions”. Int J Biometerol 38(4):199–203

Dimitrova Sv., “Investigations of Some Human Physiological Parameters in Relation to Geomagnetic Variations of Solar Origin and Meteorological Factors”, Recent Advances in Space Technologies, Proceedings of 2nd International Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, 2005, p. 728-733

Resch J. “Geographic distribution of multiple sclerosis and comparison with geophysical values”. Soz Praventivmed 1995;40(3):161-71.

Multiple Sclerosis

Inflammatory disease of the Central Nervous System Insult the myelin of the CNS Unknown causes Probable connection with genetic susceptibility and

environmental factors First attempt to connect the disease with the solar activity and

space weather

The area of Southwestern Greece

Population: 500.000 Sample: 1318 patients Men: 565 Women: 753 Patients/year=120 Patients/month=10

Study based on data from the University Hospital of Patras, covering the area of Southwestern Greece

Statistical analysis1996-2006

44%

56%

Male

Female

1999

37%

63%

Males

Females

2000

36%

64%

Males

Females

2005

49%51%

Males

Females

Seasonal Distribution of MS patients

Months with highest number of patients (admittance peaks)

The annual values of the patients with MS (cases), along with the annual maximum of the solar wind speed (Vsw), the annual number of Halo CMEs, CMEs, intense (X-Type) flares, flares and sunspots

(R(z))

1

Correlation coefficients between the annual values of the solar activity phenomena and the number of patients (Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient)

Conclusion

Rise in admittance rate 6-7 months after an intense geomagnetic storm.

Satisfactory correlation coefficient and cross correlation with the Solar Wind speed (77% and 90% respectively).

Satisfactory cross correlation with the eruptive phenomena of the Sun: Flares and CME (87% and 88% respectively) with a time lag of 6 and 5 months.

Coincide of the three phases of the solar cycle with the three phases of the time series of the admittances although with a different pattern.

The two maximums of the time series of the admittance rates appear after a 7 months period from extreme solar events and intense magnetic storms (indicated by the letters δ and θ).

Thank you for your attention