Multiple sclerosis or MS affects over 400,000 people in the United States alone, but the exact cause of MS has yet to be discovered. Although there is no pinpoint cause of MS, researchers have found many pieces of the MS puzzle that will eventually help them to discover the root cause. MS causes the immune system to attack the myelin sheath that protects nerve cells in the body. These attacks eventually lead to a scarring of the nerve cells which damages the ability for nerve fibers to effectively communicate throughout the body.
MS is a severely debilitating disease that damages the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. This damage can result in vision loss, impaired motor skills, bowel problems and erectile dysfunction in men.
The following are some of the root causes of MS currently being researched by the scientific community:
Environment
MS occurs much more frequently in peoples that live in temperate areas away form the equator. The disease is much more common in Scotland, Scandinavia and throughout Northern Europe. In the United States, MS occurs much more frequently in Caucasians than other ethnic groups. Studies have shown that people who were born in areas with a high prevalence of MS can lower their chances of getting the disease if they move to topical areas before puberty. Some scientists believe that exposure to sunlight may play a role in MS development. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, “People who live closer to the equator are exposed to greater amounts of sunlight year-round. As a result, they tend to have higher levels of naturally-produced Vitamin D, which is thought to have a beneficial impact on immune function and may help protect against autoimmune diseases like MS.”
Genetics
Although there are many links between genetic history and MS, scientists have yet to label MS a “genetic disease.” According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, “having a first-degree relative such as a parent or sibling with MS increases an individual’s risk of developing the disease several-fold above the risk for the general population.” Instead of believing the disease to be hereditary, researchers believe that certain genetic factors may give someone a predisposition to react to an environmental agent that triggers an autoimmune response, resulting in MS later in life.
Viruses
Another school of thought believes that MS is the result of a viral infection. Interviews with MS suffers found that many of them shared several of the same viral infections in their medical histories. Although there is no one definitive link between a specific virus and MS, viruses are known to cause demyelinating disease in animals and humans. The viral cause may be one reason why the disease affects populations who live in the most temperate parts of the world. Also, many viruses have a latency period in which their symptoms do not appear until years after the person has been exposed.
