Flores Jose, González Silvia, Morales Ximena, Yescas Petra, Ochoa Adriana, Corona Teresa
Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, The National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Insurgentes Sur 3877 Col. La Fama. Del. Tlalpan, CP 14269, Mexico City 14000, DF, Mexico.
Mult Scler Int. 2012;2012:292631. doi: 10.1155/2012/292631. Epub 2012 Aug 29.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a highly polymorphic disease characterized by different neurologic signs and symptoms. In MS, racial and genetic factors may play an important role in the geographic distribution of this disease. Studies have reported the presence of several protective alleles against the development of autoimmune disorders. In the case of MS, however, they help define MS as a complex disease, and confirm the importance of environmental agents as an independent variable not associated with ethnicity. We carried out an on-site epidemiological study to confirm the absence of MS or NMO among Lacandonians, a pure Amerindian ethnic group in Mexico. We administered a structured interview to 5,372 Lacandonians to assess by family background any clinical data consistent with the presence of a prior demyelinating event. Every participating subject underwent a comprehensive neurological examination by a group of three members of the research team with experience in the diagnosis and treatment of demyelinating disorders to detect clinical signs compatible with a demyelinating disease. We did not find any clinical signs compatible with multiple sclerosis among study participants.
多发性硬化症（MS）是一种高度多态性疾病，具有不同的神经体征和症状。在MS中，种族和遗传因素可能在该疾病的地理分布中起重要作用。研究报告了几种针对自身免疫性疾病发展的保护性等位基因的存在。然而，就MS而言，它们有助于将MS定义为一种复杂疾病，并证实环境因素作为与种族无关的独立变量的重要性。我们进行了一项现场流行病学研究，以确认墨西哥一个纯美洲印第安人族群拉坎顿人中是否不存在MS或视神经脊髓炎（NMO）。我们对5372名拉坎顿人进行了结构化访谈，以通过家族背景评估任何与既往脱髓鞘事件存在相符的临床数据。每位参与的受试者都接受了由一组三名在脱髓鞘疾病诊断和治疗方面有经验的研究团队成员进行的全面神经系统检查，以检测与脱髓鞘疾病相符的临床体征。在研究参与者中，我们未发现任何与多发性硬化症相符的临床体征。
