Multiple sclerosis attacks triggered by hyperprolactinemia.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a T-cell autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Predominance of women in autoimmune diseases suggests that sex hormones may play a role in disease susceptibility. A possible role for prolactin, a neuroendocrine peptide with powerful immunomodulatory properties, is suggested in MS. We describe the case of a 32-year-old man affected by relapsing-remitting MS who experienced the first MS clinical event during the development of a prolactin-secreting adenoma and the only two MS relapses during adenoma recurrence. Prolactin may have facilitated the inflammatory process and triggered MS clinical attacks, suggesting a role of prolactin in immunomodulation and therefore in autoimmune disease course.
Nociti
V
V
Institute of Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Catholic University, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
Frisullo
G
G
Tartaglione
T
T
Patanella
A K
AK
Iorio
R
R
Tonali
P A
PA
Batocchi
A P
AP
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000150:complications*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology