Veterans ‘much more likely’ to develop MND

FORMER members of the Armed Forces are more likely than civilians to develop motor neurone disease (MND), according to a study.

The incurable neurodegenerative disorder hits nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing progressive paralysis. It affects around 5,000 in the UK.

A number of studies in the US, where MND is known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, linked the condition to patients’ military service in the Gulf.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow have now looked at Scots veterans, analysing 57,000 born between 1945 and 1985 who had a wide range of experiences and time in the services.

Data from the Scottish Veterans Health Study was used to examine rates of admission to hospital and death from MND. Veterans had a 50 per cent increased risk of developing MND compared with people who had never served – but no link was established to any particular deployment and the risk did not worsen with longer service.

Despite the increased risk, researchers advised both former and current forces personnel not to worry, as the disease remains very rare.

Dr Beverly Bergman, lead researcher, said: “We also showed that there was a higher risk in everyone who had experienced an injury, but the risk was greater in people who had served in the Armed Forces.

“We are confident that there is no specific link to Gulf War service, although higher rates of military smoking may explain the increased risk. Veterans should not worry unduly.”

The study is published in the journal