Scientists hope map of MS genes can pave way to cures for other diseases

A team of international researchers has identified 29 genetic variations linked to MS - doubling the number known about.

As well as creating new targets for MS treatments, experts hope the findings could lead to ways of tackling related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and Type 1 diabetes.

These "autoimmune disorders" are caused when cells are attacked by the body's immune system.

The research was welcomed by campaigners in Scotland, where 10,500 people have been diagnosed with MS - believed to be the highest rate per population in the world.

MS affects around 100,000 people in the UK and 2.5 million worldwide, making it one of the most common neurological conditions among young adults.

In patients with MS, nerve fibres are damaged, disrupting the messages they send to the brain and causing symptoms ranging from tingling and numbness to paralysis.

For the latest study, published in the journal Nature, researchers compared DNA from 9,772 MS patients with that from 17,376 unrelated healthy individuals.

A third of the MS genes they identified had been implicated in other autoimmune diseases, including Crohn's and diabetes.

Dr Chris Cotsapas, one of the lead authors from the Yale School of Medicine in the US, said: "We have known for some time that many devastating diseases of the immune system must have common genetic causes. Now we have the outline of a map that tells us where we can look for common treatments."

Previous research has also suggested a link between low vitamin D - produced by the body when exposed to sunlight - and an increased of MS. Some have said that this could explain why Scotland, with few daylight hours in winter, may have more MS cases.

The new study identified two MS genes linked to the way the body handles vitamin D, adding increased evidence of a possible link between genetic and environmental risk factors for MS.

Leading British author Professor Alastair Compston, from Cambridge University, co-founder of the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium, said: "Identifying the basis for genetic susceptibility to any medical condition provides reliable insights into the disease mechanisms.

"Our research settles a long-standing debate on what happens first in the complex sequence of events that leads to disability in multiple sclerosis."

David McNiven, director of MS Society Scotland, said: "By identifying which genes may trigger the development of MS, we can identify potential 'risk factors' and look at new ways of treating, or even preventing, the condition in the future.

"The MS Society is delighted to have helped fund this groundbreaking research".