Viking Gene in MS
A Norse Contribution to the History of Neurological Diseases.
Department of Neurology, Ulleval University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is prevalent in areas with many inhabitants of Scandinavian descent, and a ‘Viking gene’ hypothesis has been suggested for the dissemination of the disease. It is therefore, relevant to search Norse (from West Scandinavian (Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faeroese) sagas (stories or legends) for descriptions of clinical pictures which could have been MS.
