*** Hormones May Affect Multiple Sclerosis
Abnormal Levels of Estrogen, Testosterone Could Have Impact
By Miranda Hitti WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Jan. 18, 2005 -- *** hormones may play a role in multiple sclerosis
(MS), researchers say. Abnormal levels of estrogen and testosterone may
affect inflammation or damage to brain tissue caused by multiple
sclerosis.
Carlo Pozzilli and colleagues re****t the finding in February's Journal
of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. Pozzilli is a neurological
sciences professor at Rome's La Sapienza University.
It's not the first time that gender differences have been noted in
multiple sclerosis. The disease, which affects the brain and spinal
cord, strikes three times as many women as men. But several studies
have suggested that men tend to suffer a more severe and progressive
disease.
To explore the gender gap, the researchers studied 60 people with
multiple sclerosis. All had the disease's relapsing-remitting form, in
which a person has attacks followed by periods of total or partial
remission of symptoms that can last months or years.
Participants were about 32 years old. They'd had multiple sclerosis for
roughly six years. None had used disease-modifying treatments such as
interferon. They also hadn't had relapses or used steroids in the
previous two months.
The women studied weren't using oral contraceptives and hadn't had
hormone replacement therapy. Their menstrual cycles were also normal.
Hormone Tests, Brain Scans Done
Levels of several *** hormones including estradiol (a form of estrogen)
and testosterone were gauged in multiple sclerosis patients and in 36
healthy volunteers.
Women's hormones were measured throughout their menstrual cycle. That's
because women's hormones ebb and flow during the menstrual cycle, so
the researchers wanted to take into account variations in hormonal
changes.
Those with multiple sclerosis also underwent brain imaging scans. These
scans help in the diagnosis of MS, which requires patches or scars to
be seen on images of the brain.
Scanning allowed the researchers to see how multiple sclerosis had
damaged or inflamed the brain.
Testosterone, Estrogen Highlighted
Only two of the *** hormones -- testosterone and estrogen --- appeared
to be im****tant to multiple sclerosis.
The women with multiple sclerosis had lower testosterone levels than
the healthy women. That was true throughout their menstrual cycle.
Women with multiple sclerosis and abnormally low testosterone levels
had more brain inflammation than women with multiple sclerosis and
normal testosterone levels.
However, irreversible brain tissue damage was more common in women with
multiple sclerosis and abnormally high levels of testosterone.
The results were different for the men. Men with multiple sclerosis and
healthy men had similar *** hormone levels.
Testosterone didn't affect the men's results. Instead, estradiol was
im****tant. Men with multiple sclerosis and the highest estradiol levels
had a greater degree of brain tissue damage.
That suggests that estrogens and testosterone could both affect the
development of brain tissue damage in multiple sclerosis, say the
researchers. They call for more studies on the topic.
SOURCES: Tomassini, V. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and
Psychiatry, February 2005; vol 76: pp 272-275. WebMD Medical Reference
from Healthwise: "Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Topic Overview." WebMD
Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Treatment
Overview." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Multiple Sclerosis
(MS): What Increases Your Risk." News release, BMJ Specialist Journals.
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/99/105254.htm
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