300905 Lecture Notes - Lecture 52: Genetic Disorder, Twin

• School: UWS
• Department: University of Western Sydney
• Course: 300905
• Professor: anonymous

Document Summary

The cause of ms is unknown; however, it is believed to occur as a result of some combination of genetic and environmental factors such as infectious agents. Theories try to combine the data into likely explanations, but none has proved definitive. While there are a number of environmental risk factors and although some are partly modifiable, further research is needed to determine whether their elimination can prevent ms. Ms is more common in people who live farther from the equator, although exceptions exist. The cause of this geographical pattern is not clear. While the north-south gradient of incidence is decreasing, as of 2010 it is still present. Ms is more common in regions with northern european populations and the geographic variation may simply reflect the global distribution of these high-risk populations. Decreased sunlight exposure resulting in decreased vitamin d production has also been put forward as an explanation.