MS in Northern Scotland More Prevalent than Anywhere else

17 May 2012

Author: MS Trust

Newly published research shows that the prevalence of multiple sclerosis is particularly high in northern Scotland and that Orkney has the highest level of MS in the world.

Researchers at the University of Aberdeen searched medical records to identify people with MS living in Aberdeen, Shetland and Orkney. From this they calculated that the prevalence rates were 229 people per 100,000 in Aberdeen, 295 in Shetland and 402 in Orkney. The rate for the UK as a whole is thought to be about 160.

These rates all showed increases from similar studies 30 years ago, particularly in Orkney. Prevalence was higher in women than men (2.55:1) which means that about 1 in 170 women in Orkney have MS.

Researchers suggest that reasons for the increase could include the rising ratio of women with MS and factors linked to the interaction of genes and the environment.

Visser EM, et al.
A new prevalence study of multiple sclerosis in Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeen city.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. 2012 May 10. [Epub ahead of print]Abstract