by the immune system directed against the central nervous system (CNS). The exact target (antigen) the immune cells are sensitized to attack, however, remains unknown. In terms of environmental factors, the authors state that there has been a good deal of research on MS which has taken into account variations geography, socioeconomics, genetics, and migration patterns, as well as several other factors. It is reported that these studies have shown that people who are born in an area of the world with a high risk of MS and move to an area with a lower risk, acquire the risk of their new home provided that the move occurs before the age of 15 years. Thus, many researchers feel that exposure to some environmental agent that occurs before puberty may predispose a person to develop MS later on.
Research is also said by Giovannoni and Miller (1999) to show that many MS patients have had exposure to numerous viruses during childhood. Since viruses are well recognized as causes of demyelination and inflamm
...