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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffThese factors may increase your risk of developing multiple sclerosis:
Age
Although multiple sclerosis can occur at any age, it most commonly begins in people between the ages of 20 and 40.
Sex
Women are about twice as likely as men are to develop multiple sclerosis.
Heredity
The risk of multiple sclerosis is higher for people who have a family history of the disease. For example, if one of your parents or siblings has had multiple sclerosis, you have a 1 to 3 percent chance of developing the disease — as compared with the risk in the general population, which is just a tenth of 1 percent.
But the experiences of identical twins show that heredity can't be the only factor involved. If multiple sclerosis was determined solely by genetics, identical twins would have identical risks. But that's not what happens. An identical twin has only a 30 percent chance of developing multiple sclerosis if his or her twin already has the disease.
Infections
A variety of viruses have been linked to multiple sclerosis. Currently the greatest interest is in the association of multiple sclerosis with Epstein-Barr virus, the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis. How Epstein-Barr virus might result in a higher rate of MS remains to be clarified.
Race
White people, particularly those whose families originated in northern Europe, are at highest risk of developing multiple sclerosis. People of Asian, African or Native American descent have the lowest risk.
Geographical factors
Multiple sclerosis is far more common in countries with temperate climates, including Europe, southern Canada, northern United States, New Zealand and southeastern Australia. The risk seems to increase with latitude.
A child who moves from a high-risk area to a low-risk area, or vice versa, tends to have the risk level associated with his or her new home area. But if the move occurs after puberty, the young adult usually retains the risk level associated with his or her first home.
Other diseases
People are very slightly more likely to develop multiple sclerosis if they have one of the following autoimmune disorders:
- Thyroid disease
- Type 1 diabetes
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Multiple sclerosis: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/detail_multiple_sclerosis.htm. Accessed Oct. 1, 2008.
- Olek MJ. Epidemiology, risk factors and clinical features of multiple sclerosis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 1, 2008.
- Noseworthy JH, et al. Multiple sclerosis. In: Goetz CG, et al. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/106141078-3/0/1488/405.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3618-0..10048-7--s0030_4069. Accessed Oct. 1, 2008.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Oct. 1, 2008.
- Olek MJ. Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Olek MJ. Treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Fatigue. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/symptoms/fatigue/index.aspx. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Exercise. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/healthy-living/exercise/index.aspx. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- You can ... beat the heat. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/you-can/beat-the-heat/index.aspx. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- You can ... maintain good nutrition. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/you-can/maintain-good-nutrition/index.aspx. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Weinshenker BG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 3, 2008.
