What Causes MS?

Welcome back faithful blog reader! Now that you know a little bit (and I mean little. Go to http://www.nationalmssociety.org to get more detailed information) about what MS is and what MS symptoms look like, today we will be discussing what causes MS.

To keep you interested, today’s blog will include custom cartoons made at pixton.com. Because, let’s face it, my homemade drawings leave a lot to be desired. Plus, with pixton, it lets me take the easy route to creating comics.

Anyways, let’s get down to business about this MS stuff….

So, what causes MS?

 

Well, scientists still aren’t sure but they believe that the cause of MS is a combination of several factors including genetics and environment. Scientists are also looking into the Immunologic (science of the body’s immune system) and Epidemiologic (study of disease patterns in the world) factors to understand what triggers MS.

Genetics

So, MS is not 100% hereditary HOWEVER, having a first-degree relative, like a brother or sister with MS, increases your risk of developing MS significantly. The average person has a 1 in 750 chance of developing MS where as a person with a first-degree relative has a 1 in 40 chance of developing MS themselves. But genetics are tricky. 80% of those who have MS do not have a family history of the disease. A person with an identical twin (and remember identical twins are supposed to be just that: IDENTICAL) who has MS has a 1 in 4 chance of developing the disease.  

Some scientists theorize that some people are genetically predisposed to react to some environmental stimulus which then triggers an autoimmune response.  The task of researching the genetic origins of MS requires scientists to organize and catalogue 3.2 billion DNA bases that form the code of the 30,000 to 40,000 genes that make up the human genome. Couple that with the fact that DNA is small, super-tiny-need-a-fancy-state-of-the-art-microscope-to-see-it small, and the reality is that understanding the exact genetic causes of MS are complicated. But if they can figure out how to put a man on the moon, or, in an example more pertinent to my life, develop a sports bra that doesn’t suffocate me while at the same time does the job of restraining my boobs from hurting me (and other people and small animals) while running, they can decode the human genome.

Environmental 

Research has concluded that MS occurs more frequently in areas that are farther from the equator. The reason behind this geographical factor has been linked to vitamin D, which the human body produces naturally when skin is exposed to SUNLIGHT! People who live closer to the equator get more year-round sunlight, and thus higher levels of vitamin D, than those who live in colder climates. Now, if this factor was 100% fool-proof than I don’t think the Eskimos would have lived very long and Canada, Russia and any place rainy (sorry Seattle and London) would have a serious epidemic on their hands. Plus True Blood would have to update their story lines to include both Bill and Eric of suffering some serious myelin damage in addition to their distaste for silver and lust for Sookie (HBO fans? Anyone???). So the vitamin D thing is not 100% proven.  Anyone who knows me knows my severe distaste for the sun, so I’m taking this news with a grain of salt.

It is also of interest that many 3^rd world countries, though rife with diseases now eradicated in the 1^st world like polio and dysentery, have very low occurrences of autoimmune disease.  Two theories exist to try and explain this phenomenon:

1)      First-world countries use high levels of industrial cleaners and chemically treat their food. This influx of chemical stimuli could be triggering autoimmune defenses.

2)   Third world countries are rife with parasites, some of which form a symbiotic relationship with their human host and could have positive effects on regulating the immune system and preventing dangerous auto-immune attacks on the body. Scientists are currently performing studies that show how parasitic worms have anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to reduce the size of brain lesions in MS patients. See the full article in The Wall Street Journal for more interesting and equally disgusting information: Parasitc World May Offer Hope On MS.

Immunologic 

In my last post I discussed what MS was and how immune cells would mistakenly target healthy nerves and destroy the myelin sheath protecting the never cells. One possible reason for why this happens could be a viral reaction. Some scientists believe that a virus could trigger an autoimmune response as many viruses are known to attack both human and animal myelin. Many of those currently suffering from MS have higher levels of virus antibodies in their cerebrospinal fluid. 

The Epstein-Barr virus has been suspected of possibly triggering MS. In a control study, those who were exposed to high levels the Epstein-Barr virus, which includes Mononucleosis, were 2 times more likely to develop MS 20 years down the line. 

Again, this research is still inconclusive and no direct cause and effect relationship has been proven between viruses and MS. If this were 100% true, every person who went to college would be developing MS. What sophomore hasn’t had a Mono episode? I was bed-ridden for 6 weeks with the “Kissing Disease” during the summer after my junior year. And, full disclaimer, I was not a slut in college but I may have made-out with a random Italian one night while studying abroad in Florence my junior year spring semester. It was the first month and I was all excited to be in Italy and I got carried away and………look, it just happened. Stop judging me. I will have you know my roommate kept her eyes on me while we were out at the club where this make-out session took place. She made sure I got home in one piece and did NOT engage in any activities I would later need to mentally suppress or medicate with intensive therapy sessions or mood altering drugs. I just had to lie lifeless on my bed and survive on jello for the entire month of August. So, mom if you are reading this, I have learned my lesson and have suffered more than enough for my crime. Wait…I think I’m getting off track here….

Multiple Sclerosis! That’s what we’re here to talk about. Moving on….

Epidemiologic 

Fun facts about the epidemiology of MS: 

1) 400,000 people in the US suffer from MS (okay maybe “Fun Facts” was not an appropriate title. From now on, let’s refer to this list as just “Facts about MS”) 

2) Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 50, though small children and elderly adults have also developed symptoms

3) MS is more common among Caucasians, especially those with Northern European origins, than other ethnic groups, though small populations of Africans, Asians and Hispanics have developed the disease. However, MS is almost non-existent among the following populations: Inuit, Yakutes, Hutterites, Hungarina Romani, Norwegian Lapps, Australian Aborigines and New Zealand Maoris (please see below photos to accurately identify your race and if you are going to get MS).

4) Migration from one geographic area to another seems to alter a person’s risk of developing MS. Studies indicate that immigrants and their descendents tend to take on the risk level — either higher or lower — of the area to which they move. So, even though I am an American Northern-European-origin Caucasian (bad) I have moved to Italy (better). To further improve my odds I will now move to India. SHAHRUKH KHAN I’M COMING FOR YOU!

5) MS is at least two to three times more common in women than in men. Women everywhere report that this “sucks big time”.

Have to made it to the end of this blog post? Congratulations reader! You are now slightly more educated about MS than when you started (to further, and I would say more effectively, educate yourself go to http://www.nationalmssociety.org

Next time in my MS series I discuss treatments and ways to help in the battle against Multiple Sclerosis.

Stay tuned....