New research suggests that high salt intake could be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Researchers found that diets high in sodium may be a novel risk factor in the development of MS by influencing immune cells that cause the disease. However, they note that dietary salt is likely just one of the many environmental factors contributing to this complex disease, and very much influenced by one's genetic background.

"We hope to provide a comprehensive understanding of how and why environmental factors interact with individuals' unique genetic make up to influence autoimmune diseases such as MS," Dimitry N. Krementsov, a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Medicine, Immunobiology Program at the University of Vermont, said in a statement.

For the study, researchers fed three genetically different groups of mice a high salt diet or a control diet. They then induced a disease in these mice that mimics human MS.

In one genetic group, both males and females fed a high salt diet showed worse clinical signs of the disease. In the other genetic group, only females showed a negative response to salt. In the third genetic group, there was no response to salt.

Researchers found that genetics were the critical factor. In the mice that did respond to salt, there were no direct changes in the function of their immune cells, but they showed signs of a weakened blood-brain barrier.

The findings are detailed in The FASEB Journal.