Patient page. Cigarette smoking and multiple sclerosis (MS): yet another reason to quit.

Even after many years of being studied, the cause of MS is still unknown. It is believed that the disease is probably triggered by a combination of factors that are inherited and are present in the environment. The most likely environmental factor seems to be a virus or other source of infection. However, a specific infection has not yet been identified. In this issue of Neurology, Riise and colleagues (2003;61:1122-1124) study another common environmental factor that may play a role in triggering MS: cigarette smoking. An editorial by Franklin and Nelson (2003;61:1032-1034) puts these findings into perspective.