The role of diet in the initiation and progression of disease is one of the most exciting areas of research nowadays. Although some recommendations begin to emerge in well-defined gastrointestinal conditions, food patterns associated with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are poorly understood. The study by Zevallos et al 1 shows that amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs), a group of proteins in wheat-based diets, exacerbate CNS inflammation and clinical symptoms in a mouse model of human MS.

MS is a common chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the CNS with autoimmune features, afflicting more than 2.5 million people worldwide. The pathological hallmark of MS is the formation of demyelinating lesions in the brain and spinal cord, which are thought to be caused by the infiltration of immune cells into the CNS.2 While inherited susceptibility accounts for >30% overall disease risk, environmental factors such as infections, nutrition or smoking have emerged as modifiers of MS manifestation and severity in the genetically vulnerable.2 Clinical and experimental studies indicate that dietary habits such as caffeine or salt consumption may play a role in MS pathogenesis and course. In addition, previous not-well-controlled clinical studies have shown a positive effect …