What causes ms?
The exact cause of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is unknown. While many theories have been proposed, most researchers believe that MS is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.Genetic Factors
Although people do not inherit the disease (that is, pass it down from parent to child through their genes), there is a slightly increased risk of MS among family members. The chance of developing MS is less than a tenth of one percent in the general population. However, if one person in a family has MS, that person's first-degree relatives (parents, children, and siblings) have a one to three percent chance of acquiring the disease.Researchers have been looking at a gene that programs the immune response. It is possible that people with this gene are more susceptible to MS. The gene is found in people of northern European descent and people living in the United Kingdom. However, the gene is also found in groups of people with a low incidence of MS, so this gene is not solely responsible. Other factors and the interplay of other genes must be involved in triggering the disease. Studies are currently underway examining genetic factors by looking at the disease among identical twins.
