The intersection of race and sex on the clinical and cognitive progression of multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences 2024-11, Vol.466, p.123260, Article 123260
• Main Authors: Moody, Shannin N., Manuel, Morganne, Willette, Auriel, Shirtcliff, Elizabeth, Copeland, Brian, Lovera, Jesus, Devier, Deidre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Black or African American; Cognition Disorders - ethnology; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Intersectional framework; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Minority health; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology; Multiple Sclerosis - ethnology; Neuropsychological Tests; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors; White
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.123260

Black populations show increased incidences of diagnosis, worse disease severity, and earlier likelihood of mortality due to MS. Clinical outcomes are also linked to biological sex and as with Black individuals, MS characteristics between sexes have also shifted overtime. This study examined whether clinical disease progression differed by race and sex for patients with MS. “Black” (N = 47) and “White” (N = 58) participants with MS (82 % female) were recruited from a longitudinal examination of the impact of race and sex on the cognition and disease duration of patients in the gulf south region of the United States. Black participants had shorter disease durations [F (1,103) = 4.70, p = .03], (MDiff = [−3.96]) and were younger [F (1, 103) = 14.25, p