What is Multiple Sclerosis?

The description given by the Mayo Clinic states, "multiple sclerosis is a disease that causes breakdown of the protective covering of nerves.

Multiple sclerosis can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms. It's also known as MS.

In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers, known as myelin. This interrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage of the nerve fibers." (www.mayoclinic.org)

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What causes MS?

Researchers still do not know the cause of multiple sclerosis, though they do know, MS is not directly passed on. While over 200 genes might affect your chances of getting MS, genetics only play a part. Having someone else in your family with MS increases your risk slightly, but the chances are still low. Having a parent with MS gives you about a 1.5% risk, and having a brother or sister with MS increases it to around 2.7%.

The exact cause of MS is unknown but there are some things that could increase your risk of getting MS. Age, genetics, biological sex, obesity and smoking play a role. Things connected to your environment like infections and vitamin D levels can also play a part.

Latitude as a Factor

Latitude Gradient:

MS prevalence tends to be higher at higher latitudes, meaning closer to the poles. This means that regions in northern Europe, North America, and parts of Russia and China tend to have higher MS rates compared to areas closer to the equator.
Factors Influencing the Gradient:

While the exact reasons for the latitude gradient are still under investigation, several factors are believed to contribute, including:
- Vitamin D Deficiency: Lower sunlight exposure at higher latitudes can lead to reduced vitamin D levels, which may play a role in MS development.
- Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV): EBV is more prevalent in higher latitudes, and it has been suggested that EBV infection might be a risk factor for MS.
- Other Environmental Factors: Exposure to other environmental factors, such as certain infectious agents, may also contribute to the latitude gradient.

The Role of Vitamin D

We know MS is more common in countries further away from the equator. There are many possible reasons for this pattern. But researchers are particularly interested in the role that sunlight (and therefore vitamin D) could play in MS.

In 2015 scientists demonstrated a clear link between low vitamin D and MS. They found that people who naturally had lower levels of vitamin D (because of their genetics) were more likely to develop MS. Researchers in Oxford have also discovered that vitamin D could affect the way a gene linked to MS behaves. They showed that when vitamin D was present, the gene was more active. This groundbreaking research could help us understand more about the role vitamin D plays in developing MS.

There's currently no evidence that high vitamin D levels reduce the risk of developing MS.

Types of Multiple Sclerosis

MS is currently divided into 4 different types, or disease courses, as defined by the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials of MS in 1996. They are:

Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)
Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)
Secondary progressive MS (SPMS)
Primary progressive MS (PPMS)

Knowing the type of MS you have may help you know what to expect over the long term. It can also help you and your healthcare provider decide what type of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) might be best for you.

You have MS, now what?

There have been some amazing strides in the management and treatment of those with multiple sclerosis, allowing those diagnosed to continue to lead the life they choose.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

What causes MS?

Latitude as a Factor

The Role of Vitamin D

Types of Multiple Sclerosis

Meet S. Johnson, diagnosed with MS in 2024. She continues her passion for athletics and just completed her fourth triathalon!