User:RLSbiology/Multiple sclerosis

Stemming from both genetic and environmental factors alike, MS is the most common autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. As of current, more individuals are being diagnosed with MS than in previous years. However, this seems to be an effect of increased awareness, improvement of healthcare access, and the betterment of diagnostic methods with this disease. Although there is no clear conclusion for the reason for increased cases and diagnoses, researchers have found no firm evidence to say MS is increasingly spreading worldwide.

The onset of MS has been linked to various exposures. These risk factors include copious amounts of environmental and genetic occurrences that have the potential to increase susceptibility to MS. Individuals with a family history of MS are more likely to be diagnosed with MS themselves. Individuals with preexisting autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anaemia, psoriasis, or thyroid disease are more likely to develop MS. Certain infections, smoking, and low levels of Vitamin D have also been linked to the onset of MS.

Worldwide trends have linked MS to specific climates and races. More specifically, individuals living in regions with mild or temperate climates are at a higher susceptibility for MS. These regions include the southeastern region of Australia, Europe, Canada, the northern region of the United States, and New Zealand. Individuals of Native American, African, and Asian descent are less likely to have MS, while individuals of Northern European descent are at the highest risk.

In 2019, there have been nearly one million reported cases of MS in the United States alone. The northeastern region of the U.S. has the highest number of cases at 377 per 100,000 U.S. residents, and the West has the least amount of cases at 277 per 100,000 U.S. residents.

The age onset, severity, and symptoms vary widely in cases of MS, making this disease increasingly harder to diagnose. The most abundant age of onset is between the ages of 20 and 50 years old, and with its unpredictable nature, MS can appear in young children or older adults in rare cases. Pediatric MS is seen to account for about 3-5% of all MS cases. As of 2019, women are three times more likely than men to be diagnosed with MS. However, in a single study it was found that pediatric cases of MS, there is an equivalency between the rate of boys and girls with MS. Menstruation is thought to play a role in the differences in prevalences between males and females with MS.