New risk score aims to predict multiple sclerosis before symptoms start

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: GEMS cohort (target n equals 1000) * First-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) of a self-reported MS patient. * Age 18-50, inclusive, at the time of enrollment into the overall GEMS study. * Willingness to be contacted regarding additional follow-up procedures. * Cross-sectional subcohort (target n equal 150): * Referred by Columbia University Medical Center as having a genetic and environmental risk score (GERS), defined in Section 4.1.1, in the top or bottom 20% of the overall GEMS study. * NINDS Longitudinal subcohort (target n equal 100): * Ages 18-40, inclusive. * Referred by Columbia University Medical Center as having a GERS in the top 20% of the overall GEMS study. * Willing to undergo additional study procedures at the NIH for up to 20 years, with planned follow-up every year for participants between ages 18 and 25, every 2 years for participants between ages 26 and 30, and every 5 years for participants between ages 31 and 40. * Relative enrolled in NIH study with confirmation of MS diagnosis. MS patient cohort (target n=1000): * MS patients (NIH) * Co-enrolled in another Neuroimmunology Clinic natural history protocol. * Diagnosis confirmed at NIH. * Age 18 or older. * MS patient (non-NIH) * First-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) of an existing GEMS participant. * Able and willing to send medical records associated with their MS diagnosis to NIH. * Healthy volunteer cohort (target n=80) * Age 18-50, inclusive. * No known first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with MS. * All cohorts * Able to give informed consent. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: GEMS cohort -Diagnosis of MS. Cross-sectional and NINDS longitudinal subcohorts * Contraindications to MRI scanning. * Diagnosis of another central nervous system disease disease (CNS neoplasm, known cerebrovascular disease, known CNS degenerative diseases, or known CNS inflammatory diseases) at the time enrollment into the study. * MS cohort (both) --None * Healthy volunteer cohort * Diagnosis of MS or another central nervous system (CNS neoplasm, cerebrovascular disease CNS degenerative diseases, or CNS inflammatory diseases) or a systemic disease that would interfere with the aims of this study. * Contraindications to MRI scanning. Eligible NIH employees and staff may participate.