Multiple Sclerosis?
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Genetic factors are actually thought to play a significant role in determining who develops MS. The average person in the United States has about one chance in 750 of developing MS. But close (first-degree) relatives of people with MS, such as children, siblings or non-identical twins, have a higher chance—ranging from one in 100 to one in 40.
That said, we know that MS is not 100% hereditary. The identical twin example proves this: the identical twin of someone with MS, who shares all the same genes, has a one in four chance of developing the disease. If genes were solely responsible for determining who gets MS, an identical twin of someone with MS would have a 100% chance of developing the disease; the fact that the risk is only 1 in 4 demonstrates that other factors, including geography, ethnicity, and the elusive infectious trigger are likely involved as well.
I don't think it has been proven to be hereditary, but my mom and her brother have it.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/the...
There's new evidence to support the notion that multiple sclerosis is hereditary. When Polish researchers used a powerful imaging device to examine the brains of MS patients' close relatives, they found that even seemingly healthy individuals had subtle signs of possibly impending disease.
Malgorzata Siger-Zajdel, MD, and colleagues from the Medical Academy of Lodz, Poland, looked at 30 first-degree relatives (parents, children, and siblings) of people with MS. None of the relatives showed any signs of nerve problems. Another 15 healthy volunteers served as a comparison group.
Of the diagnosed MS patients, 15 had what's known as familial MS -- that is, at least two other family members also had been diagnosed with MS. The other 15 had what's known as sporadic MS -- when the study began, they were the sole family member with the disease.
The 30 relatives and 15 healthy volunteers underwent magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) -- a test that can pick up subtler brain tissue abnormalities than conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)..... the article continues on the link below
I come from a family of nine and I'm the only one with MS. There are no relatives that I know who have MS. It's not hereditary but I've been told that if you have a sibling with it, you have a better chance of getting it also. That's not the case in my family though.
yes it is. I had a cousin that had a son who inherited it from his mother even though she didn't have it through her genes. It claimed his life at age 20.
Sorry for the bad news
MS is not considered a hereditary disease. However, increasing scientific evidence suggests that genetics may play a role in determining a person's susceptibility to MS:
Some populations, such as the Roma, Inuit, and Bantus, rarely if ever get MS. The indigenous peoples of the Americas and Asians have very low incidence rates.
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