This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Nova on PBS had an episode on epigenetics a while back. One segment discussed genetically identical twins and how one twin could develop a genetic disease such as cancer while the other twin did not. Epigenetic changes can also take place within one generation and then be passed down to subsequent generations.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/epigenetics.html

NHE

on the spread of a “genetic susceptibility” to geographic locations in Italy and Israel: http://www.areco.org/ms.pdf

Zamboni told me there is a genetic predispostion on the island of Sardinia where he worked as a junior doctor.

Vitamin D, environmental factor etc may all be important, but population statitics would seem to suggest that there is a genetic factor here as well.

Here's away to settle this whole "MS" origins debate:

if there are any patients who undergo a venogram by a competent IR and who DO NOT have any venous disorders (e.g., stenosis, webs, bad valves, etc.) discovered

AND

they still exhibit classical "MS" symptoms then turn them over to the neurologists for their pharma treatments.

I would be shocked to learn if they were able to cure just ONE patient (cure being defined as cessation of previous symptoms).

It would be interesting to find out how many "MS" patients are sickened (kidney, liver failures) by the pharma treatments or die from otherwise rare viral brain infections from drug compromised immune systems.

Donnchadh

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Kitty says, "Take that, you stenosis!"

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I am so thankful for this community of people! Thank you for the Time article. I am currently studying Evolutionary Analysis and just had class yesterday where Mendelian genetics, genetic modification, genetic drift, and epigenetics are all being discussed. In fact, I need a good article to submit to the class homepage for an assignment we are doing, so now I have a great one.

I think that epigenetics is sure to be a factor. I am of Scandinavian descent, which also seems to be a susceptible group of people. Again, cold climates, all the time, and loads of immigration through time. I also have Middle Eastern descent, and the head coverings that have prevailed through many generations there could definately lead to evolutionary effects through gene mutation, or even just proteins that trigger normal genes to act in odd ways. Look at malaria and cholera. Over time, in areas where the disease has been prevalent for so long, gene modifications have taken place in defense of these, but the same mutations have been found to create these homozygous recessive alleles found in cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia, to name a few. Since the introduction of HIV, the genome has acquired some sort of resistance to it which makes some people less susceptible, or less likely to get HIV. That's great, but it's a very small percentage of people for one, and history seems to show that these very same beneficial modifications can become deleterious over time. Perhaps, instead of vitamin D deficiency being directly related to development of venous systems, in those cold climates and areas with full head covering the genome became modified in some way to help sustain people in some way in those tough environmental conditions. I think it's no coincidence at all that HEAT is not tolerated well in MS.

Anyhow, going back to my original idea, what about depriving pregnant chimps (our nearest primate relative) of sunlight and vitamin D altogether? Feed them a diet devoid of any vitamin D and see if their offspring has some sort of veinous abnormalities? Again, it doesn't mean they would necessarily end up with some primate form of MS...right?

Glad you liked the Times article, Shannon. Keep studying! You are in a very important field, and we need more students working on these very important questions.
Looked into your idea, and only found studies on rickets....but apes need vitamin D, just like us. Fur blocks the UV rays in fuzzy mammals..and vitamin D is actually produced by oily secretions deposited on their skin which they ingest while they groom! ugh. Makes me glad we evolved--
cheer

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Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

@Cheer... LOL

But seriously, you are like a walking encyclopedia! The trivia you have WOWS me.

Makes you think she should try out for Jeopardy