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Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS is a major endocrine disorder affecting some women of reproductive age, it is one of the leading causes of infertility in women. The syndrome is a set of symptoms related to elevated levels of androgens -male hormones in females and includes irregular or no menstrual periods, heavy periods, excess body and facial hair, acne, pelvic pain and patches of thick, darker, velvety skin. It is associated with Type 2 diabetes, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, heart disease, mood disorders and endometrial cancer.
According to an Associate Professor Rebecca Campbell from the University’s Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, Blocking androgen actions could help re-set reproductive function to normal levels by modifying brain circuitry important to fertility. Despite the early development of brain pathology in some forms of polycystic ovary syndrome, normal reproductive function can potentially be restored in adult women with the disorder through modifying the wiring in the brain because it involved in both the development and pathology of polycystic ovary syndrome.
The researchers in a preclinical model on the syndrome identified changes in specific brain circuits that may underlie the disorder. In the study, researchers investigated when these circuit abnormalities develop and whether the circuits are “hard-wired” or can be changed by blocking androgen actions once the disorder is established. They discovered that brain changes occur prior to the onset of puberty, which is before the syndrome appears, suggesting that the brain pathology precedes disease development. Long-term blockade of androgen actions was able to completely restore normal brain wiring and reproductive cycles.
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