Lesions

I have just been informed that my cousin has 14 lesions on her brain. I would just like to know how serious this is in terms of amount of lesions. I know alot of it depends on where in the brain it is. I cant find any information on amounts of lesions. Would you be able to tell me how serious this is, and what the average amount of lesions someone has please.

Also, i have read ms is not believed genetic...yet from one side of my family two sisters, who are my cousins, have ms and i have one lesion. So is this a common situation from your experience?  

Thanks for your help

[jensequitur]

MS seems to be caused by several different factors.  Exposure to environmental toxins is a factor, as well as inherited Vitamin D deficiency.  So it's not genetic, but the susceptibility can be inherited - if that makes any sense!

As for 14 lesions, that does sound like a lot.  However, it looks more and more like lesion activity is just a response from the brain to axon loss - in other words, whether you have lesions or not, damage is going on.  I've talked to a lot of people that have several lesions, and aside from some mild cognitive problems and sensory issues, they're just fine.  Others with a single lesion can have many problems.

[Quixotic1]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your cousin.  Is he/she diagnosed with MS?

There is definitely a genetic component to MS.  It's not straight "genetic" like blue or brown eyes, but having a member of your "immediate" family with MS raises your risk quite a bit.  Depending on where you live the risk of developing MS is about 1 in 800 people.  If your parent or sibling has MS your risk rises to about 1 in 35 or so.  A cousin is a third degree relative and that does not raise your risk nearly as much.

Jen was correct.  It's not the number of lesions but two other factors.  One is the total volume they take up and where those lesions are located.  We have people with huge numbers of lesions and very few symptoms and others with only a few lesions who are quite disabled.

You have a lesion.  Why was the MRI done?  Have you been having symptoms?

Tell us your story.

Quix

[wallis484]

thank you, you put my mind at rest. I heard the number of lesions she had, and thought the worst. Ok, so she might be fine. Yes she was diagnosed two years ago, but she had her second child just over a year ago, and it seems to have mad it worse. She has lost alot of the feeling in her legs and they are talking stairlifts etc.. Her older sister was diagnosed at the same time, but is on medication and is doing fine,

Me, I got a lesion 8 years ago when i was 22. Had all the tests...lumber pucture etc, and they in the end found one lesion on the top of my spinal cord. I get the very odd flare up, numb fingers, but otherwise i have managed to keep  it at bay so far. I was told to eat alot of fish,and thats what ive been doing. So I may or may never get another lesion,and therefire MS. I just found it odd that years later my two cousins would be diagnosed...all three of us girls.

Thank you Jen and Quix

[risnerrose]

Just curious . . . have you been monitored by a neuro over the past 8 years?  Any MRIs during this time?  

As always . . . I have more questions than answers :)

Sherry