b'Medicine & ResearchDDiivveerrssiittyyooffMMSSPPrreesseennttaattiioonnAAccrroossssEEtthhnniicciittyyaannddRRaacceeBy Tirisham Gyang, M.D dierences in the presentation of MS betweenMultiple sclerosis is a multifaceted auto- dierent ethnicities and demographic groups.immune disease that presents with a great For instance, research suggests Hispanicdeal of variability between aected individuals. Americans have a higher frequency of opticAlthough the cause of MS remains unknown, neuritis and transverse myelitis (spinal corditisbelievedgeneticandenvironmental inammation) than Caucasian Americans.factors play a signicant role in the incidence African Americansmayexperiencemoreand prevalence of MS. Although MS is usually aggressive disease course with more severepresented as a disease that aects Caucasian walking diculties than Caucasian individualswomen, recent studies have shown the with MS. Furthermore, African Americansincidence in Hispanic and African American are more likely to have relapses that presentgroups is not only higher than was expected with imbalance, cognitive dysfunction, opticbut on the rise. Race and ethnicity have nerve and spinal cord involvement. In Asians,emergedasdistinctfactorsthataectnot what used to be known as opticospinal MSonly the incidence of MS, but also aect the is now thought to be more consistent withcourse of the disease and long-term prognosis. neuromyelitis optica than with MS. This variantResearch has revealed the clinical presentation, typically affects the optic nerves and thedisease course, and response to disease- spinal cord and can be associated with severemodifying therapy not only dier from one disability.individual to another but may also dier from The course and prognosis of MS also diersone ethnic group to another. These dierences between demographic groups. Studies haveare often confounded by socioeconomic and shown African Americans are more likely tosociocultural factors. have more severe optic neuritis with poorerDierences in Clinical recovery,morefrequentMSrelapses,andDierences in ClinicalPresentationPresentation faster transition from relapsing remitting MSRecent studies have shown there are to secondary progressive MS than Caucasians.msfocusmagazine.org 16'