Multiple sclerosis Quote by Sonia Shah
““Particular variants in our pathogen-recognition genes, which protected us from ancient epidemics, correlate with a range of autoimmune disorders, from diabetes and multiple sclerosis to lupus.27””
About This Quote
Source Journal Article: The New York Times, “The Evolutionary Roots of Autoimmunity”, 2022
Genetic variants that helped ancestors fight infections now increase risk of modern autoimmune diseases.
In simple terms: Old immune genes can cause modern disease.
Key Takeaway
Consider evolutionary history in health strategies.
Themes
imimmunity
evolution
genetics
public health
Mood
concerned
analytical
Type
scientific
informative
When to use this quote
- Medical research
- patient counseling
- public health policy
- personalized medicine
Key Concepts
Balancing selection
gene-environment interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we use this knowledge to prevent disease?
- What ethical issues arise from genetic screening?
A Different Perspective
Genetic predisposition may be only one factor among many.
![“ME/CFS has a greater negative impact on functional status and well-being than other chronic diseases, e.g., cancer or lung diseases[8], and is associated with a drastic decrement in physical functioning[9]. In a comparison study[10] ME/CFS patients scored significantly lower than patients with…” quote by Frank Twisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d4e/frank-twisk-66444_cfs_me-cfs-has-a-greater-negative-impact-on_448653.jpg)
