Testosterone and multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating degenerative disease with no known cure. A big mystery surrounding the disease is why it seems to affect women more than men, but new research from Northwestern Medicine may have finally discovered the reason. A guardian molecule has been found to protect against the disease, and it turns out it’s triggered by testosterone.
MS is three to four times more likely to develop in women than men and while scientists have for some time suspected testosterone is a major factor, they haven’t understood the underlying mechanisms. The new discovery began, like many wonderful research revelations, with a laboratory mistake. A graduate student accidentally used male mice in an experiment instead of female mice.
MS is an autoimmune disease where the immune system overproduces a type of immune cell called Th17, which attacks a membrane called the myelin sheath. The membrane protects the nerve axons found in the brain and spinal cord and when it’s damaged, major irreversible symptoms such as cognitive deficits and a loss of motor function result.
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