Young shift workers have increased risk of developing MS: study

Stockholm – Shift work at a young age is linked to an increased risk of multiple sclerosis, suggests a new study from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

Researchers analyzed data from two previous studies and found that people younger than 20 who had worked shifts between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. for at least three years had a twofold increased risk of MS, compared with those who never worked such shifts.

Published online Oct. 17 in the Annals of Neurology, the study concluded that the increased risk of developing the central nervous system disease stems from off-shifts disrupting the younger workers’ circadian rhythms and sleep patterns.