Population Studies

There are population studies that show difference in susceptibility to MS between different populations.  

o        Lapps in Scandinavia appear to be resistant to the disease, contrary to the expectations based on their geographic distribution.  

o        Native Americans and Hutterites very infrequently suffer from MS, as opposed to other residents of the North America.  

o        MS is uncommon in Japan, China and South America.

o        It is practically unknown among the indigenous people of equatorial Africa and among native Inuit in Alaska.

When the racial differences are correlated:

o        White populations are at greater risk than Asian or African populations.

We can not yet explain these obvious inconsistencies in disease distribution, but the knowledge of them may be helpful in assessing specific patients.