Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Aug;22(8):103363.
doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103363. Epub 2023 May 23.

The impact of menopause on multiple sclerosis

Francesca Bridge  1 , Helmut Butzkueven  2 , Anneke Van der Walt  2 , Vilija G Jokubaitis  2
Affiliations
Review

The impact of menopause on multiple sclerosis

Francesca Bridge et al. Autoimmun Rev. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Menopause, defined as the permanent cessation of ovarian function, represents a period of significant fluctuation in sex hormone concentrations. Sex hormones including oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone and anti-Mullerian hormone are thought have neuroinflammatory effects and are implicated in both neuroprotection and neurodegeneration. Sex hormones have a role in modifying clinical trajectory in multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout the lifespan. MS predominantly effects women and is typically diagnosed early in a woman's reproductive life. Most women with MS will undergo menopause. Despite this, the effect of menopause on MS disease course remains unclear. This review examines the relationship between sex hormones and MS disease activity and clinical course, particularly around the time of menopause. It will consider the role of interventions such as exogenous hormone replacement therapy in modulating clinical outcomes in this period. Understanding the impact of menopause on multiple sclerosis is fundamental for delivering optimal care to women with MS as they age and will inform treatment decisions with the aim of minimising relapses, disease accrual and improving quality of life.

Keywords: Disease activity; Menopause; Multiple sclerosis; Perimenopause; Sex hormones.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest Francesca Bridge has received travel support from Biogen. Helmut Butzkueven served on scientific advisory boards for Biogen, Novartis and Sanofi-Aventis and received conference travel support from Novartis, Biogen and Sanofi Aventis. He serves on steering committees for trials conducted by Biogen and Novartis received research support from Merck, Novartis and Biogen. Anneke van der Walt has received travel support and served on advisory boards for Novartis, Biogen, Merck Serono, Roche and Teva. She receives grant support from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. Vilija Jokubaitis receives research grant support form F.Hoffmann La-Roche, MS Research Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC 1156519).

LinkOut - more resources