A cluster of genes on chromosome six is the only one that plays a significant role in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the most complete genetic study to date in the disorder, presented at the 130th annual meeting of the American Neurological Association in San Diego.
"Our results confirm the strong role of the major histocompatibility complex genes in MS, and provides a definitive statement that no other region of the genome harbors a gene with a similar overall influence on MS genetics," said Jonathan Haines, Ph.D, of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, who presented on behalf of the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium."

This abstract describes the results of what we would consider to be the definitive multiple sclerosis linkage screen. The power of the study is so great that it is virtually certain that all susceptibility loci with effects large enough to be detectable by linkage have been found. The value of a definitive reliable linkage map cannot be overemphasized. The results from this study have profound implications for the future study of the genetics of this complex disorder and enable accurate minimum requirements to be determined for future studies. This is clearly a critical development in the field. {CLICK FOR MORE}