Seasonal birth patterns of neurological disorders

Existing seasonal birth studies were reviewed for multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (AL S), epilepsy, cerebral palsy, congenital malformations of the central nervo us system and mental retardation. Epilepsy appears to have the most consist ent pattern, with an excess of births in winter and a deficit in September. MS, ALS and possibly Parkinson's disease appear to have an excess of sprin g births. Studies of cerebral palsy are not conclusive, although there are suggestions that there may be an excess of summer births. The findings for Alzheimer's disease, congenital malformations of the central nervous system , and mental retardation are contradictory and insufficient to draw any con clusions. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.