Multiple sclerosis: potential risk factors in childhood and adolescence

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system, which primarily affects younger persons between 20 and 40 years of age. Despite the development of disease-modifying drugs, MS will eventually lead to deteriorating health and functional impairment. Worldwide approximately 2.3 million persons are suffering from MS, which makes MS the most common cause of acquired neurologic disability among young adults [1]. The aetiology and pathogenesis of MS are still not fully understood. An early evidence of a genetic component in the aetiology of MS came from the observation of a familiar aggregation of MS. Since the 1970s...