title: Genes and Environment in Multiple Sclerosis project: A platform to investigate multiple sclerosis risk.
abstract: The Genes and Environment in Multiple Sclerosis project establishes a platform to investigate the events leading to multiple sclerosis (MS) in at-risk individuals. It has recruited 2,632 first-degree relatives from across the USA. Using an integrated genetic and environmental risk score, we identified subjects with twice the MS risk when compared to the average family member, and we report an initial incidence rate in these subjects that is 30 times greater than that of sporadic MS. We discuss the feasibility of large-scale studies of asymptomatic at-risk subjects that leverage modern tools of subject recruitment to execute collaborative projects.
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.|Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Zongqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Emily K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Von Korff
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.affiliation: Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Cristin A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cimpean
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Phoebe A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Winn
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoesing
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute for Neurologic Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Sonya U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute for Neurologic Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Irene C M
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Tanuja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chitnis
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Howard L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute for Neurologic Diseases and Stroke, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.|Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Lori B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Chibnik
authors.affiliation: Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics and Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.|Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: De Jager
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004777:Environment; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology