Multiple sclerosis in G: Genes and geography

Multiple sclerosis (MS) shows uneven geographic distribution globally as well as within countries. In epidemiological studies we have previously demonstrated that there is a high-risk focus for MS in the southern Ostrobothnian region of western Finland. In genetic studies we recently identified haplotypes that associate with MS specifically in patients originating from southern Ostrobothnia suggesting a founder effect. Such haplotypes can be used as molecular tools for tracing common ancestry between patients in different geographic locations. In addition to providing clues to the historical origin, such a genetic archeological approach should help narrow the size of the shared haplotype, thus facilitating the identification of etiological variants and possibly define a superfamily of MS patients with common pathogenetic mechanisms.