MS & Genetics

[Scuba Kris]

So I recall someone talking about there is a higher chance of a child of a parent with MS getting this MonSter. Sorry I don't have the exact quote. I was just wondering if anyone has a good website to look up the cause studies?

I was sitting here wondering if there is a difference if it is the father or mother who has MS. And I haven't found anything yet.

Thanks and Cheers,
Kris

[Redwings]

Hi Kris:
Here's some information about MS and genetics from the Swedish Neuroscience Institute Multiple Sclerosis Center in Seattle:

http://www.swedish.org/Swedish/media...-inherited.pdf

http://www.swedish.org/Swedish/media...nes-and-MS.pdf

[owlnona]

Did you try the national MS society? Or MSAA ( MS Society of America), They can answer lots of Questions.
God Bless Nona Judy

[Scuba Kris]

Thank you for your replies. What I am noticing is a general increase in odds of developing MS, but no specifics if its more likely if your father has is or if your mother has it. I will just keep looking around.

Again thank you for your responses.

Cheers,
Kris

[Mamabug]

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...-ms/index.aspx

This article says that there is a 1/40 in anyone who has a close relative (parent, sibling, child) with the disease. (The risk for the general population is 1/750.)

----------------------------------
I had an article from NMSS saved, years ago, that gave slightly different information (however, the link is no longer valid):

• If your mother has MS, you have a one-in-50 risk of getting it;
• If nobody in your family has it, you have a 1-in-1000 risk."
• If no one in the family has MS: 1 in 1,000
• If mother has MS and baby is a girl: 1 in 50
• If father has MS and baby is a boy: 1 in 100
• If a sibling has MS: 1 in 20 to 50
• If a fraternal twin has MS: risk is the same as other siblings
• If an identical twin has MS: 1 in 3

I read another article that says that other genetic studies are beginning to show thatsome people with MS inherit genes that predispose them not only to MS, but also to some other autoimmune diseases. That interests me, as well. In my family (of 16 aunts and uncles and about 50 cousins), I am the only one with MS. However, in my more immediate family (myself, 2 siblings, 2 children, 3 nieces and nephews), we have 6 auto-immune diseases between the 8 of us.


~ Faith

[Redwings]

Hi Kris:
The Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre has a page with the information you're looking for: http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuse...ow/pageid/1891 (scroll down to find the articles).

In 2006, a small study found that fathers were more likely to pass on MS that mothers, but noted that more research was needed to confirm that.

In 2007, a larger study was done and it did not confirm the 2006 study, finding instead that mothers and fathers pass the risk of MS equally. I'm speculating here, but this might have been some of the data that the NMSS used when it revised its data and grouped all close relative risk (apparently excluding familial clusters) at 1/40, without specifying maternal or paternal transmission.

It's apparent that the NMSS updated their statistics from the older information that Faith (Mamabug) posted. The general risk has been updated from 1/1000 to 1/750, the various familial risks are now 1/40, and the fraternal twin risk is now 1/4. Another NMSS article says that 80% of people with MS have no family member with MS.

The "if mother has MS and baby is a girl" and "if father has MS and baby is a boy" figures were a bit misleading, anyway, because they mixed two variables and imiplied that the risk of maternal transmission to a girl was somehow different than the risk to a boy, when the risk was the same. And the apparently lower risk of paternal transmission has since been contradicted by two studies (even though the second one didn't support the first ). So it appears as if none of those statistics are valid anymore.

If you believer the later, larger study of parental transmission, both sexes pass the risk of MS to their offspring equally.

[Scuba Kris]

Wow Faith that sucks, 75% with an auto-immune disease. Thank you for the post, that was the info I was looking to find. And it is really interesting to me as well. Although I am the only one in my family with an auto-immune disease. Thanks again.

Cheers,
Kris

[Mamabug]

Yeah, Kris. All of our auto-immune diseases suck. Actually, I counted wrong. We might have 7, out of 8 people. But, some have two and some have none. (I've read that, too -- that if you already have one auto-immune disease, you are at higher risk of developing a second -- or more. YUCK!)

Me -- MS
My two (adult) children -- none
Sister -- Type 1 Diabetes (has had since age 10) , and starting to think probably thyroid
Sister's daughter (age 18) -- Thyroid (has had for a long time)
Sister's son (age 15) -- Type 1 Diabetes (has had since age 12)
Brother -- Type 1 Diabetes (has had since age 11), thyroid (since adulthood)
Brother's daughter (is now age 11) -- none

In all of my aunts and uncles, and all of my 50-ish cousins, only one of my maternal cousins, that I am aware of, has an auto-immune disease. It seems somewhat curious that my immediate family was hit so hard.

In previous generations, however, my mother's side of the family had more diabetes. So (I don't know much about genetics), my sister wonders if my mother's side of the family carried some auto-immune gene, and, maybe, if it was latent, or something, on my father's side -- because we are not aware of anyone, even distantly, on his side, that has auto-immune stuff going on.

Glad, Kris, that the info I posted is what you were looking for.

~ Faith

[techie]

You get more DNA from your Mother

The egg carries mitochrondrial DNA from your mother. The sperm has just nuclear DNA from the father.
That could be why mother - daughter gets a higher % inheritance.
techie

[Redwings]

Somehow my post about the more recent research wasn't added to this thread until others had already posted. So for the OP and others who are interested in the data, I wanted to again call attention to my earlier post referencing the studies that showed that inheritance of risk is not greater on the maternal side and is transmitted equally by both parents, and that the old NMSS figures are obsolete.

[Tawanda]

My personal take on "M.S. Statistics"...

and that the old NMSS figures are obsolete.

I have always suspected as much.

I don't worry about statistics anymore...if you or your loved one are the ones happen to fall on the wrong side of them and wind up with M.S., what do they matter? It isn't easy, but I am trying very hard not to worry about things that are out of my control anyway.

[Mamabug]

I find the statistics information, even if they are outdated. They confirm that there is a genetic link that can be a factor in MS. I think that scientists also agree that many "unknowns" remain, and that MS is triggered both by genetic and environmental factors.

The more that I know, for instance, about my kids' genetic risk for MS, the more I can encourage them to attempt to manage other factors that they have some control over (for example -- taking vitamin D, managing stress, etc).

Although I agree that it is not helpful to "worry about things that are out of my control", IMO, more knowledge always seems better than less knowledge.

Your point, though, Tawanda, is well-taken. I would add that, if knowledge of the statistics is going to cause worry and stress, it may be better not to pay attention to them. However, if knowledge can increase your efforts to mitigate other triggers, it can be a useful thing.

~ Faith

[MarkLavelle]

I don't worry about statistics anymore...

People tend to forget that statistics are what you get when you look at lots of people, not individuals.

I try to remind myself frequently that statistically, I should already be dead (twice, from cancer). It's my way of remembering that for every health statistic there are people on both sides of the numbers, and no one can tell you which side you'll be on. I kid about denial sometimes, but I just figure I might as well assume I'll end up on the 'happy' side of the statistics until proven otherwise...

[Tawanda]

The more that I know, for instance, about my kids' genetic risk for MS, the more I can encourage them to attempt to manage other factors that they have some control over (for example -- taking vitamin D, managing stress, etc).

~ Faith

I am all over this! Sadly, there is so little information in this department (although I do the Vitamin D thing). I had my DD before I was diagnosed and never went to websites about M.S. where I could have found out more information about M.S. and genetics. Now the horse is out of the barn, so to speak. If I were planning to conceive in the future (I'm not, too old now) I think I would be more interested in odds and such. Now I just pray for a cure.