Alberto Ascherio

Biography

he purpose of our research group is to identify causes, risk factors (positive and negative), and biomarkers of susceptibility and early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Because of their progressive and disabling nature, these diseases have major adverse personal, social, and economic consequences. Prevention and early detection are critical, because there are no cures and the clinical diagnosis typically occurs after substantial and often irreversible neuronal loss, and at a time when neuroprotective interventions are probably too late to be fully effective.

Research Interest

Organochlorine pesticide, PCBs, and Parkinson’s The association between intestinal parasites and multiple sclerosis: A pilot study of cases and controls Vitamin D, EBV infection, and cigarette smoking and risk of MS among women in the Finnish Maternity Cohort and their offspring Vitamin D, cigarette smoking, EBV and risk of MS progression