Genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis

Although the clinical manifestations and neuropathological signs of multipl e sclerosis (MS) have been known for a century, the cause of this disease h as not yet been determined. The epidemiological studies indicate that MS is of multifactorial etiology, including both environmental and inherited (ge netic predisposition) factors. The role of the HLA system in genetic predis position to MS has been known since the 1970s. As a result of the progress made in human genetics, it is now possible to study genetic predisposition to MS. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.