Is multiple sclerosis hereditary? What to know about your risk for MS

Is multiple sclerosis hereditary? What to know about your risk for MS

Medically reviewed by Huma Sheikh, MDFly View Productions / Getty Images Multiple sclerosis may involve your genes, but it's not hereditary.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease in which your immune system attacks your central nervous system, including your brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve, destroying cells, tissue, and protective nerve coverings called myelin. Although your genes play a role in whether you develop MS—and the ris…