Epstein-Barr virus may be leading cause of multiple sclerosis
For immediate release: January 13, 2022 Boston, MA – Multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease that affects 2.8 million people worldwide and for which there is no definitive cure, is likely caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV),…

Looking at the links between smoking and multiple sclerosis
The risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) among heavy or regular smokers is about twice that of nonsmokers, according to Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “The data on…
No link found between mineral intake, MS risk
The intake of minerals such as zinc does not appear to have an influence on the risk of getting multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a large long-term study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Previous studies…
Your refrigerator, your self
A new dating app allows users to get a peek inside potential partners’ refrigerators—the idea being that refrigerator contents can offer clues about people’s personalities. In a March 12, 2019 New York Times article, experts discussed whether the…
Frequent low-fat dairy consumption may increase Parkinson’s disease risk
Consuming three or more servings of low-fat dairy each day was associated with a higher risk of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in a large study of U.S. men and women, according to a new paper by…
Scientists hit the road to gather Parkinson’s data
December 5, 2016—Road trip! This fall, four researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston hopped into a 32-foot-long RV and began motoring down the East Coast in order to meet…

Drink up: Health benefits of coffee are numerous
Your morning cup of coffee provides more than a jolt of caffeine—it can also have significant health benefits.
No mental health benefit from fish oil
In spite of conventional wisdom that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can protect against depression, a large new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found no such benefit. Researchers examined the link between suicide…
Boosting vitamin D could reduce severity of multiple sclerosis
For immediate release: Monday, January 20, 2014 Boston, MA -- For patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), low levels of vitamin D were found to strongly predict disease severity and hasten its progression, according to…

Drinking coffee may reduce risk of suicide in adults
Caffeine impact on brain chemicals may play role July 24, 2013 — Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50%, according to a new study by Harvard…
