title: 'Gender gap' in multiple sclerosis: magnetic resonance imaging evidence.
abstract: The authors evaluated the gender difference in the magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of the lesions occurring in the brain of 413 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Men had fewer contrast-enhancing lesions (P = 0.01), but a higher proportion of lesions evolving into 'black holes' (P = 0.001), when compared with women. Thus, our data indicate that men with MS are prone to develop less inflammatory, but more destructive lesions than women. This study results provides support for a modulation of the MS pathological changes by gender.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy. carlo.pozzili@uniroma l.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tomassini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marinelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paolillo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gasperini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastianello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric