Multiple Sclerosis Causes & Risk Factors

Conditions & Diseases: Brain & Nervous System

Multiple Sclerosis

Causes & Risk Factors

Until 2007, researchers were unclear on the exact causes behind MS. Two different medical journals published their findings on July 29,2007, which identified two genes as being linked to MS, thereby raising the risk of contracting the disease.

"In a large-scale study appearing in an online version of the New England Journal of Medicine, teams of international researchers scanned the entire human genome of more than 12,000 people for MS risk factors." (12)

Both the NEJM and Nature Genetics reported that one of the genes suspected behind MS is interleukin-7 or IL-7 receptor. This gene helps control the activity of regulatory T cells, which suppress the activation of the body's immune system.

Both studies also confirm a seperate study by Nature Genetics where Stockholm researchers looked at a large collection of people and patients from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

That study identified the IL-2 receptor gene as a suspect behind MS. Incidentally, IL-2 is also thought to be a culprit behind two other autoimmune diseases, type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disorder. (12)

Researchers still believe environmental factors and genetics play a role in causing MS. These other factors include:

MS is not inherited but a patient is likely to become affected if one of the family members suffers from the disease, especially a brother or sister, suggesting a genetic predisposition.
Although no virus has been identified as being responsible for MS, some researchers still believe a virus may be involved.
Environmental factors such as diet, stress, trauma and nutrition may trigger MS in people who are susceptible to the disease.
MS is more common in people having certain types of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA), which is one of a group of proteins found on the surface of white blood cells and other cells that play an important part in the body's immune response to foreign substances.
Incidence of MS increases in countries away from the equator and is 5 times more common in temperate zones as compared to the tropics (5).

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
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Page Last Modified:
12/02/2010