Gender-related differences in multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract

Although multiple sclerosis (MS) affects both women and men, women are more susceptible to MS than men with increasing incidence and prevalence. Accumulating evidence indicatesthat gender appears to play a critical role in the development, efficacy and prognosis of MS, and therefore should be considered as an independent influencing factor. In this review, factors that can potentially explain the gender-biased observations in MS are discussed, which include incidence and prevalence, mechanism, course and prognosis, imaging, treatment principles.