When and why does the menstrual cycle worsen MS?
Many people with MS say their symptoms feel worse in the days leading up to and during their period. Especially balance, fatigue, depression and muscle weakness.
But despite this, little is known about how the hormones involved in the menstrual cycle (oestrogen and progesterone) could influence MS.
Dr Ansdell’s team recently published research showing when levels of these hormones were higher in people without a health condition, the brain could communicate with muscles more easily. But levels of these hormones are low during menstruation. This could explain why some symptoms of MS worsen during this time.
About the project
Dr Ansdell wants to find out when and why the menstrual cycle worsens symptoms of MS.
First, the team want to find out when exactly in the menstrual cycle symptoms worsen. 90 people with MS will be asked to complete a daily questionnaire about their symptoms. They’ll do this for a full menstrual cycle (or around 28 days). A mobile app will collect a detailed overview of how their symptoms change, and how severe they are throughout the menstrual cycle, to identify any pattern. They’ll recruit 30 females who are not taking a hormonal contraceptive, 30 who are, and 30 males to compare data across the three groups.
In the second stage of the project, 42 people with MS (14 from each group mentioned above) will visit the lab on three occasions to represent different phases of the menstrual cycle. Blood will be taken to find out how much oestrogen and progesterone is in their blood.
During each visit, they will complete several tasks:
- Complete questionnaires about MS symptoms and quality of life
- Dexterity, balance, and walking tests
- A brain stimulation test to see how well the brain is communicating with the bodies’ muscles
This will help the team identify which areas of the nervous system are altered by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, and how.
How will it help people with MS?
Insight from this project could lead to new strategies to improve quality of life and symptom management for people with MS. For example, drug, nutritional or lifestyle interventions could be recommended in different phases of the menstrual cycle to reduce worsening of symptoms.
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