It’s clear that sex hormones play an important role in the MS disease course, says Vilija Jokubaitis, PhD, an associate professor of neuroscience and a researcher at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
“Prior to puberty, the same percentage of females and males have MS. However, after the onset of puberty, this shifts to three females for every one male. During pregnancy, hormonal shifts see most women with MS go into remission,” says Dr. Jokubaitis.
Sex hormones not only impact the reproductive system, they can also bind to cells in the immune system and cells within the brain, impacting their function, she explains.
Because of those factors, it’s been suspected that the relative reduction in the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone after menopause, or the hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause could also impact the MS disease course, possibly impacting disease progression, says Jokubaitis.
“There have been a number of studies published previously with conflicting findings, some suggesting a worsening of MS, or an increase in progression, while others did not find such an association,” she says.
Read the full article here
