Socio-economic factors and immigrant population studies of multiple sclerosis

The uneven geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the differences in disease severity observed between different ethnic groups indicate a complex interplay between genetic and environmental risk factors involved in the disease pathogenesis. Changes in MS risk after migration suggest influence of environmental factors on disease susceptibility. Whether the risk of MS is affected by socio-economic status (SES) is still controversial. In the present review, the combined knowledge from studies of migration and SES in MS is discussed.