Menno M. Schoonheim1, Doriana Landi2,
Jeroen JG Geurts1,3, Hugo Vrenken1,4, Ernesto J.
Sanz-Arigita1, Linda Douw5, Chris H. Polman5,
Frederik Barkhof1
1Radiology, VU University Medical
Center, Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands; 2Universit Campus
Biomedico, Rome, Italy; 3Pathology, VU University Medical Center,
Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands; 4Physics & Medical
Technology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Noord Holland,
Netherlands; 5Neurology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam,
Noord Holland, Netherlands
Multiple
sclerosis displays clear gender effects in female predisposition, as well as
male negative clinical prognosis. To investigate gender effects of atrophy
and cognition in MS, we acquired brain volumes and neuropsychological
assessments in 32 RRMS patients (14 male, 17 female) and 22 healthy controls
(10 male, 12 female). Atrophy and cognitive impairment were present in male
patients only. An interaction between group and gender was present for
whole-brain volume and verbal memory. These were correlated in the patient
group only. This underlines the need for future research to investigate
gender effects in MS more thoroughly, with possible therapeutic implications.