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Joined: May 26, 2004 Posts: 1383 Location: London, ON, Canada
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:57 pm Post subject: Prolactin
Just saw on the Canadian Global TV News network this evening an article about Prolactin and its apparent effect on pregnant MS patients.
These women produce Prolactin during pregnancy and they discovered that Prolactin rebuilds myelin in the brain lesions of the poor MS mouse. The researchers are likely going to spend two more years testing this on other animals and then depending what they discover, try it on humans.
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3457 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:02 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the link Harry.
Somehow it's never seemed surprising that pregnancy, as the life creation process, might hold secrets of restoration and it seems that pregnancy has provided at least two possibilities so far.
While it's not sensible that pregnancy has anything to do with the actual incidence of MS, something like this sure seems to have very interesting potential.
I don't have enough seniority to proclaim you redeemed with this link, but I will put in a good word to Ian in your behalf.
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with RRMS in Feb. 2006.
Joined: Nov 24, 2004 Posts: 15 Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:02 pm Post subject: Hormone repairs MS damage in mice
Here is the story off of the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) website.
Hormone repairs MS damage in mice
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | 5:01 PM ET
CBC News
A hormone produced during pregnancy helps to push multiple sclerosis into remission in mice, Canadian researchers have found.
Scientists have long known that MS tends to ease during pregnancy. The finding prompted Samuel Weiss of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary and his team to look at whether prolactin reverses damage from MS in mice.
The results appear in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
Multiple sclerosis causes the body's immune system to attack the protective coating around nerve cells called myelin, leading to damage that cannot be repaired. Reduction in myelin leads to progressive loss of sensation and movement in MS.
Prolactin stimulates breast development and milk production and has been tested in humans for other reasons.
"It's early to be confident that prolactin will definitely work with people," said Weiss. "But prolactin represents the first example of any molecule, in this case a naturally occurring molecule, that can actually boost the repair of myelin."
New direction for research
While current MS treatments are designed to prevent new damage in patients in earlier stages of the disease, there is nothing to repair myelin that has already been destroyed.
"This may give us some ways to now focus on protecting the brain, as opposed to giving therapies that just reduce the attacks," said Dr. Jock Murray, a professor of medicine at Dalhousie University and founding director of its multiple sclerosis research unit.
The Calgary team compared pregnant and virgin female mice of the same age to count the number of myelin-producing cells. They found pregnant mice had:
Twice as many of the cells.
50 per cent more myelin coating their nerve cells after giving birth.
Twice as much new myelin after it was chemically destroyed.
Prolactin may help promote growth of myelin, although trials for MS treatments based on the findings remain about five years away.
Prolactin may also be beneficial for other diseases in which myelin is involved, such as spinal cord injuries and stroke, said Fred Gage of the Salk Institute, who did not participate in the research.
Multiple sclerosis affects about 75,000 Canadians.
The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
Joined: Jul 28, 2005 Posts: 1334 Location: Sydney, Australia
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:24 am Post subject:
One thing I find unusual about these hormone items, is that women have a considerably higher incidence of MS, yet, whenever you read of hormones helping MS, its a female based hormone.
I posted this story on Tuesday 20 Feb at 2:45am, but I admire Harry Z's attempt to get in my good books. If he contines like this, and sends me his address, he may get a box of chocolates. I can be very forgiving.
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3457 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:34 am Post subject:
bromley wrote:
Lyon,
I posted this story on Tuesday 20 Feb at 2:45am, but I admire Harry Z's attempt to get in my good books. If he contines like this, and sends me his address, he may get a box of chocolates. I can be very forgiving.
Ian
Ian,
Seriously, when writing that post I almost mentioned to Harry how forgiving you can be. I almost added that rather than a box of chocolates, he might expect A single chocolate in the mail, but in the end I didn't want to speak for you. Like others have in the past, I underestimated the full scope of your graciousness.
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with RRMS in Feb. 2006.
Joined: Mar 26, 2005 Posts: 595 Location: Northamptonshire, England.
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject:
I'm going to read the profiles now--I never realised this was a dating site!
Quote:
One thing I find unusual about these hormone items, is that women have a considerably higher incidence of MS, yet, whenever you read of hormones helping MS, its a female based hormone.
My first thought exactly, Cure! Maybe the hormone levels are low until pregnancy, because neuroprotection/repair/remission seem to occur in late term, (3rd trimester),
Joined: May 04, 2006 Posts: 3457 Location: Mid-Michigan
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject:
TwistedHelix wrote:
I'm going to read the profiles now--I never realised this was a dating site!
Hi Dom, now that you mention it!!!! While I would never regret that you were my Valentine this year, I wanted to mention that the fancy English chocolate you sent has been playing hell with my system. Are you sure that ExLax is actually English chocolate? For some reason the name sounds French to me.
Bob _________________ Wife diagnosed with RRMS in Feb. 2006.
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: Male Hormones and MS
Cure O and Dom
I really don’t understand why this is the first thing that comes to your minds.
Quote:
One thing I find unusual about these hormone items, is that women have a considerably higher incidence of MS, yet, whenever you read of hormones helping MS, its a female based hormone
And even though I don’t understand your perspectives I’m going to make a few comments.
There has been speculation that testosterone influences susceptibility to MS and that estrogen and progesterone (frequently thought of as female based hormones) provide neuroprotection. Hence, fewer men may actually get MS because of the influence of testosterone, but women may generally tend to have a less severe course because of the neuroprotection afforded by estrogen (and of course I personally think progesterone too but that seems to be mostly off the radar screen yet in MS research).
With regard to myelin specifically, don’t forget that testosterone was identified as the hormone that accounted for men (mice really) having thicker myelin than women.
But, my gut reaction to the statement that
Quote:
whenever you read of hormones helping MS, it’s a female-based hormone
is “I don’t think so.”
I think testosterone was the first hormone out of the gate that demonstrated neuroprotective potential in men with MS. The Phase I testosterone trial improved cognitive functioning; decreased brain atrophy and increased brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in men with MS.
Two Phase I clinical trials of DHEA (another “male” hormone) were successful (trial participants included men and women).
Suffice it to say I think there’s evidence that typically male hormones (testosterone and DHEA) may potentially provide neuroprotection and/or help people manage MS and they are getting some attention.
Testosterone itself is gaining recognition for its neuroprotective properties.
And, I think we may be reading more about all hormones now that the presence of neurodegeneration in people with MS has been recognized as has an association with age and level of disability. DHEA, estrogen, testosterone and progesterone all have seemingly potent and relevant neuroprotective properties and they all decline with age.
The neuroactive steroids dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), its sulfate ester DHEAS, and allopregnanolone (Allo) are produced in the adrenals and the brain. Their production rate and levels in serum, brain, and adrenals decrease gradually with advancing age. The decline of their levels was associated with age-related neuronal dysfunction and degeneration, most probably because these steroids protect central nervous system (CNS) neurons against noxious agents.
The decline of neurosteroid levels during aging may leave the brain unprotected against neurotoxic challenges.
Sorry for the ramble. I was just startled by your perspectives and those are just some of the things I’ve read related to “male” hormones and MS. I definitely don't think it's all just about female hormones helping to manage MS. Why women are diagnosed with MS much more frequently than men is still an unanswered question I think.
Joined: Mar 26, 2005 Posts: 595 Location: Northamptonshire, England.
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:31 am Post subject:
Hi Sharon,
You're right, of course, testosterone and other "male" hormones are involved in neuroprotection and have been shown to have therapeutic benefit in MS, (like the testosterone cream). Perhaps it's just an impression I got that female hormones have more of an influence than male hormones with MS, partly because of the remission many pregnant mothers experience and partly because of the 2-1 ratio of female to male MS. Obviously we all have both types of hormone, so perhaps it's more to do with relative levels rather than absolute levels. I've never thought of myself as much of a man... I didn't even realise I HAD a "male" perspective!!
Bob -- I'm so sorry to crush your feelings, but it wasn't me who sent you the chocolates: I think you're getting me mixed up with Ian!
Joined: Oct 10, 2005 Posts: 412 Location: Missouri, USA
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:
I think Ian should have a new nickname like "The Chocolate Man", He likes to give out a lot of chocolate. Hopefully it is Dark Chocolate though, its better for you.
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