Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Notes on the epidemiology of multiple sclerosis

C M Poser1

  • 1Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan Yi Zhi
|June 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Reliable multiple sclerosis (MS) studies require clear diagnostic criteria. Genetic factors are key in MS acquisition, while environmental influences on clinical presentation remain unclear.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Exercise and Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2016
Same author

Disseminated encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis: two different diseases - a critical review.

Acta neurologica Scandinavica·2007
Same author

The diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis.

Acta neurologica Scandinavica·2005
Same author

Multiple sclerosis trait: the premorbid stage of multiple sclerosis. A hypothesis.

Acta neurologica Scandinavica·2004
Same author

Optic neuromyelitis syndrome in Brazilian patients.

Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry·2002
Same author

Problems with diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis.

Lancet (London, England)·2001

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Neurology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Reliability of multiple sclerosis (MS) epidemiologic studies hinges on well-defined diagnostic criteria.
  • The traditional latitude-prevalence rate (PR) relationship is outdated; genetic factors are now recognized as crucial for MS acquisition.
  • Environmental factors influencing MS clinical manifestations are poorly understood, with many studied risk factors lacking biologic plausibility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the factors influencing multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence rates (PR).
  • To explore the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in MS etiology and clinical presentation.
  • To propose a refined definition for calculating MS prevalence rates.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of existing epidemiologic data on multiple sclerosis (MS).
  • Review of migration studies to assess the timing of MS acquisition.
  • Biostatistical interpretation of prevalence data across different ethnic groups and geographic locations.

Main Results:

  • Genetic factors play a significant role in multiple sclerosis (MS) acquisition.
  • Environmental influences may modulate MS clinical manifestations, but their nature is obscure.
  • Differences in MS prevalence among ethnic groups suggest environmental interactions with genetic predispositions.

Conclusions:

  • Established diagnostic criteria are paramount for reliable MS epidemiology.
  • MS acquisition appears to occur before puberty, with age at migration influencing clinical disease risk.
  • An onset-adjusted prevalence rate (PR) definition is proposed to improve accuracy, excluding individuals with pre-existing symptoms at migration.

Related Experiment Videos