Older men with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use medicines that reduce the levels of androgens, or male sex hormones, experience sustained or increased disease activity instead of the expected decreases that typically happen with advancing age, a small study suggests. According to the team, such disease activity was “particularly”…

Men with multiple sclerosis (MS) who started on high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) experienced significantly fewer relapses than those who started with moderate-efficacy DMTs, according to real-world claims analysis involving more than 10,000 U.S. patients. “No significant difference in relapse was found among females,” researchers wrote. “This observation highlights…

Transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS), wherein mild electrical impulses are applied to the tibial nerve located near the ankle, may help with sexual dysfunction related to multiple sclerosis (MS) in both men and women, a study suggests. The study, “Tibial nerve stimulation in the management of primary sexual…

A globally recognized neurologist and scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has won the 2024 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research for her work to improve women’s care through a better understanding of the mechanisms behind sex differences in multiple sclerosis (MS). Rhonda Voskuhl,…

Hormonal changes over time — and especially those around menopause — are often associated with disability worsening in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, which suggests that sex-specific hormone therapies may be useful in MS treatment. Burcu Zeydan, MD, assistant professor of neurology and radiology at Mayo Clinic, provided an overview…

Doctors and nurses involved in the care of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) at a center in Scotland “highly” value the existence of a Pelvic Health Clinic for referrals — where patients identified as having concerns related to sexual health can be referred for consultation for guidance and care…

In this installment of our “Expert Voices” series, Multiple Sclerosis News Today asked psychologist Gayle Lewis, PhD, to answer some of your questions related to sex and intimacy for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their partners.  Gayle Lewis is a psychologist and psychoanalyst currently in private practice in New…

Moderate-to-severe bowel dysfunction was detected in 14.5% of adult people with multiple sclerosis (MS), an Italian study reports. The prevalence of bowel dysfunction was increased in women and in patients with progressive forms of MS, higher disability, older age, and longer disease duration. Despite the prevalence of bowel dysfunction…

Inherited or familial multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs most frequently in children, women, and people living in warmer climates, a new study suggests. Prevalence rates also differ according to geographical areas, with Canada exhibiting the highest rates and Hungary the lowest. The study, “The global prevalence of familial multiple sclerosis:…

Due to differences in sex chromosomes, certain immune cells cause more severe disease in males than females, according to a new study in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings could help to explain why biological males with MS tend to have more severe disease. The study,…

The prevalence of fatigue continues to be high among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) despite significant progress over the years in therapies that change the course of the disease, a large survey study in Norway found. The findings also show that the frequency of fatigue is higher in…

Marked differences in disease characteristics are observed between male and female patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) but they are more pronounced when comparing patients across clinical subtypes, a new study finds. The analysis found that although women are more prone to…

Hypertension is considerably more common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States than among those without the disease, a large data study reported. High blood pressure was found to be 42% more common among MS patients than non-patients adjusted for sex and age, with male…

A likelihood of depression is two to three times higher in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.S. and U.K. than in similar groups of people in these countries without the disease, a study reported. This risk was also “most evident in the first five years after MS diagnosis” among…

People in the United Kingdom (U.K.) with multiple sclerosis (MS) have an increased risk of vascular disease affecting the heart and brain that is not accounted for by traditional disease risk factors, a large, population-based study reports.  The study, “Evaluating the Risk of Macrovascular Events and…

Older age, a greater number of health conditions, and prior hospital admissions are associated with more hospitalizations due to all causes among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, MS-related hospitalizations decrease as patients age, and are less frequent among women, according to a study analyzing more than two decades…

Females of certain species — like humans and mice — have a known ability to produce more of the gene Kdm6a than males because it’s located on the X chromosome, of which females have two. Kdm6a is also quite active in immune system T-cells, a study found, and silencing it in a mice model…

A mismatch — between the ancestral immune function changes induced by the placenta and fewer modern-day pregnancies — may help explain the greater risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases in women in industrialized societies, according to a new study. The shift toward a sedentary lifestyle may…

Sex and intimacy are good for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), just as they are for anyone without the disease. And while fear of talking with a partner about possible sexual challenges created by MS is perfectly normal, there is help available to deal with potential problems. That’s according…

Vitamin D3 insufficiency increases multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility in a gene and sex-dependent manner, a mouse study suggests. The study with that finding, “Sex-Specific Gene-by-Vitamin D Interactions Regulate Susceptibility to Central Nervous System Autoimmunity,” by researchers at the University of Vermont, was published in the journal Frontiers in…

A molecule triggered by the male hormone testosterone protects male mice from developing multiple sclerosis, Northwestern Medicine researchers report. Their discovery may help explain why MS affects more women than men. It could also lead to targeted therapies to protect women against the disease. The study, “…

A pregnancy hormone called estriol may be effective in controlling relapses in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), says a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In clinical trials, estriol has also lowered fatigue and improved thinking — work that originated in Rhonda Voskuhl’s quest to understand…

GeneFo, an online multiple sclerosis (MS) community that offers support, advice and educational resources to patients, will conduct a free webinar July 26 for those interested in knowing more about how MS affects sex and intimacy. The webinar, hosted by renowned MS expert Dr. Tuppy Owens, follows a GeneFo survey showing that sex…

The second annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), a forum for clinicians, researchers and other MS specialists to network and discuss the  latest advances in MS research and treatment is set for Feb. 23–25. This year’s meeting takes place at the Omni ChampionsGate resort hotel in Orlando, Florida. Multiple Sclerosis News…