title: Female sex hormones and multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis is the most frequent debilitating neurological disease in young subjects. The autoimmune process predominantly affects females. This paper presents a review of experimental and clinical data about the effect of female sex hormones and conditions associated with hormonal alterations on the disease process. Specific consideration is given to the use of estrogens as a remedy influencing the disease course. There haven't been enough studies to indicate presence of either hormonal disbalance in females with multiple sclerosis or peculiarities in the hormone-cytokine profile during disease relapse and remission. Further investigations in this area are needed to provide more profound knowledge of the pathogenesis of this socially significant disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University-Plovdiv, 15A Vassil Aprilov St., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Anastasia G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Trenova
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Manova
authors.forename: Zahari I
authors.initials: ZI
authors.lastname: Zahariev
authors.forename: Tonka V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Vasileva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones