Research sheds light on syndrome
RESEARCH by University of Otago scientists is improving understanding of the causes of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and providing clues which could eventually help restore fertility in affected women.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a major endocrine disorder affecting about one in 10 women of reproductive age globally, and is one of the leading causes of infertility in women.
There is no cure.
‘‘I was surprised, but very pleasantly surprised, with the results,’’ Associate Prof Rebecca Campbell said yesterday.
Prof Campbell, of the university’s Centre for Neuroendocrinology and the physiology department, said she and her coinvestigators, PhD student Mauro Silva and assistant Research Fellow Mel Prescott, were ‘‘really excited’’ about the potential of the new findings.
Researchers now had a ‘‘better understanding’’ of what could lead to the development of PCOS, in at least some cases.
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 also associated with Type 2 diabetes, obesity, obstructive sleep apnoea, heart disease, mood disorders and endometrial cancer.
Findings from the research, conducted in a preclinical model and just published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight, show that blocking androgen actions could help reset reproductive function to normal levels by changing brain circuits important to fertility.
The Otago findings suggested that despite the early development of brain pathology in some forms of PCOS, normal reproductive function could potentially be restored in adult women with the disorder, by modifying the wiring in the brain, Prof Campbell said.
And longterm blocking of androgen actions could ‘‘completely restore normal brain wiring and reproductive cycles’’, she said.