Testosterone and Multiple Sclerosis

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Wasn’t sure where to post this, but I thought some might find it informative.
I attended a seminar this past weekend on neurologic disease in women. One of the talks was titled “Impact of Gender In MS and Its Treatment.” A couple things were pointed out that I found interesting:

-Females are more susceptible than men to get MS. 70-75% of all MS patients are women
-Males tend to get MS later in life, coinciding with the beginning of the decline in testosterone in healthy men.
-In animal models (Voskuhl et al) testosterone teated female mice had a lowered incidence of MS.
-Castration of male mice increased the incidence of the disease.
-In young adult, hormonally intact male mice, physiologic doses of testosterone reduced the severity of the disease.

So the question was raised: Would supplementation of testosterone in men benefit those with MS?

It was also pointed out that administration of testosterone in women would not be a viable long term solution and that testosterone may be protective in men but not in women.
The specific studies mentioned were not handed out so I have not read them. I am sure I can get in touch with the neurologist who did the lecture if any of you want the studies.

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[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Interesting, thanks for posting.

Off the top of my head, I’m wondering if estrogen has more of a part to play, since E has more of an impact on the immune system, and MS is an autoimmune disease (as I recall).

bushy[/quote]

Actually women will have fewer exacerbations of MS during pregnancy. While pregnant you will find an increase in Estrogen, Progesterone, and Prolactin. Estradiol and Progesterone increase progressively during pregnancy to their highest state in the 3rd trimester. Symptoms and disease progression are lowest at this time. MS is an autoimmune condition so the immunosuppressive characteristics of the aformentioned may have something to do with the decreased symptoms.

There are also shifts in immune respones from Th1 to Th2 resulting in decreased cell mediated immunity and increased immunoglobulin responses. Relapses then increase in the first 3-6 months post partum and eventually return to pre-pregnancy levels. So it appears that increased Estrogen is not the culprit.