Family characteristics and multiple sclerosis
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Family characteristics and multiple sclerosis
There is some evidence that multiple sclerosis (MS) may be a genetic disorder.
- MS tends to run in families. About 15% to 20% of people who have MS have a relative with MS, most often a brother, sister, or parent.1
- Certain genetic characteristics associated with the immune system appear more frequently in people who have MS. These features may indicate that there are one or more genes that may increase the chance of developing MS.
References
Citations
Victor M, Ropper AH (2001). Multiple sclerosis and allied demyelinative diseases. In Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 7th ed., pp. 954–982. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Credits
| Author | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Michele Cronen |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology |
| Last Updated | March 23, 2006 |
| Last updated: | March 23, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman |
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