Smoking and its interaction with genetics in MS etiology

Abstract

The etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) involves multifaceted interactions between genetic loci and environmental factors. Smoking is an important risk factor for MS that overall increases the risk of the disease with approximately 50%. However, the precise effects of smoking on MS development vary considerably in different contexts and in different populations. This review focuses on the influence of smoking on MS risk and its interaction with genetics in MS etiology. The possible biological mechanisms are presented in this paper. Further research is needed to establish the mechanisms of causality and to explore preventive strategies.