A new era in the genetic analysis of multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
This review covers the latest developments in the genetic analysis of multiple sclerosis in the context of advancing knowledge about the nature of complex disease. This year has seen rapid progress dominated by early applications of high-throughput single-nucleotide polymorphism typing technology.


RESULTS
The last 12 months have seen the completion of what is probably a definitive screen for linkage, together with the beginnings of indirect full-genome screens for association with common variants. Alongside this the first ever systematic admixture mapping effort has also been completed, suggesting a possible explanation for the apparent excess of the condition in Europeans and implicating a novel susceptibility locus on chromosome 1.


CONCLUSIONS
It is now clear that association-based studies in large cohorts will be needed to unravel the genetic basis of susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. Importantly it is also clear that the necessary tools have now arrived and that the next few years are likely to see exciting developments.
Sawcer
Stephen
S
University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. sjs1016@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
D008040:Genetic Linkage; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology