Inflammation that occurs in parts of the body other than the brain and spinal cord has been associated with atrophy in the cervical spinal cord in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study said.

The study — “Systemic inflammation associates with and precedes cord atrophy in progressive multiple sclerosis” — was published this spring in the journal Brain Communications.

In discussing the study, Multiple Sclerosis News Today noted that even common infections — such as those from colds, influenza, or urinary tract infections — were associated with “more damage to the nervous system in people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.”

Researchers used MRI technology to measure participants’ cervical cord and brain atrophy at the start and end of the study. “Systemic inflammation predicted cervical cord atrophy,” the study’s abstract reported. “An association with brain atrophy was not observed in this cohort. A time lag between systemic inflammation and cord atrophy was evident, suggesting but not proving causation.”

Study participants had primary or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis for more than 2.5 years, and were less than 70 years old.

Lead researcher Ian Galea, a neurologist with the University of Southampton, said in a news announcement, “Our results build on decades of research showing inflammation causes nerve cell loss in the laboratory. Now we’ve shown a connection between inflammation and loss of cells in the spinal cord in humans. And in the future, lab research could help us understand what’s going on at a molecular level when this inflammation happens – which could perhaps help us develop new drug treatments.

“The results of this study suggest it is important for people with MS to minimize inflammation where they can. This includes receiving all recommended vaccinations and seeking prompt attention for bladder infections. Following a healthy lifestyle could also be beneficial, as factors like smoking, alcohol and obesity are linked to inflammation. And as health-care professionals we can help too, by talking about these things with our patients so they have the facts they need.”