Episode 15: Women with Multiple Sclerosis: Hormones, Sex Differences and Disease Progression
Episode 15: Women with Multiple Sclerosis: Hormones, Sex Differences and Disease Progression
Multiple sclerosis affects women far more often than men — but why? And how do sex-specific biological processes influence disease progression, symptoms, and treatment responses in MS?
In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Rhonda Voskuhl (UCLA) and Prof. Elisabeth Celius (University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital) about the growing field of sex differences in multiple sclerosis research.
Together, they explore:
• Why MS is more common in women than men
• The role of hormones, pregnancy, and immune system differences in MS
• How sex-specific biology may influence disease progression and symptoms
• Whether men and women experience MS differently over time
• The implications of sex differences for future MS treatments and personalised care
This conversation examines one of the most important and evolving areas of MS research, and what it could mean for the future of treatment and patient care.
References:
Itoh, Y., et al. (2019). The X-linked histone demethylase Kdm6a in CD4+ T lymphocytes modulates autoimmunity. The Journal of clinical investigation, 129(9), 3852–3863. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI126250
Voskuhl, R., & Itoh, Y. (2022). The X factor in neurodegeneration. The Journal of experimental medicine, 219(12), e20211488. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20211488
Voskuhl R. R. (2020). The effect of sex on multiple sclerosis risk and disease progression. Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England), 26(5), 554–560. https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458519892491
Meyer, C. E., et al. (2023). Neuroprotection in Cerebral Cortex Induced by the Pregnancy Hormone Estriol. Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology, 103(8), 100189. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labinv.2023.100189
Voskuhl, R. R., et al. (2016). Estriol combined with glatiramer acetate for women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial. The Lancet. Neurology, 15(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00322-1
This podcast episode is supported by an educational grant from Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Diseases. Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, and UCB. Educational grant providers have no input into the podcast series content.