Contributing factors in multiple sclerosis and the female sex bias

摘要

Autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), show a higher incidence rate in women compared to men, which may be due to differences in the immune system, sex hormones, or both. Furthermore a disruption in homeostasis within these systems appears to be contributing to the etiology of MS. These systems are also influenced by the environment and metabolic factors necessitating the adoption of a broader viewpoint of the contributing factors in MS in the search for effective therapeutics. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.