1. The possible solar and geomagnetic activity effects on the neurological disease of Multiple Sclerosis A. Gkotsinas 1, P. Preka-Papadema 1, N. Dimisianos 2, P. Papachristou 2, G. Antonakopoulos 3, P. Papathanasopoulos 2, X. Moussas 1, A. Hilaris 1 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.

2. The 23 rd Solar Cycle described by the sunspots number

3. Solar Eruptive Phenomena: Flares and CMEs

4. Earth’s magnetosphere and interaction with the solar wind

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

6. Space Weather Affects: Technology Communications Health: -Heart -Mental Health -Blood Pressure -Strokes

7. 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.

8. 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

9. The area of Southwestern Greece Population: 500.000 Sample: 1318 patients Men: 565 Women: 753 Patients/year=120 Patients/month=10

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

11. Statistical analysis

12. Seasonal Distribution of MS patients

13. Months with highest number of patients (admittance peaks)

14. 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

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

23. 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).

24. Thank you for your attention