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Scientists have learned how to treat endocrine infertility
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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It is well known that breastfeeding increases the secretion of the hormone prolactin and inhibits ovulation in women, which prevents the onset of a new pregnancy. Therefore, breast-feeding can be used to control the birth rate, as a contraceptive.
In addition to breastfeeding, prolactin is also produced under other circumstances. The most common cause of its secretion are tumors. Women suffering from such diseases do not have ovulation, which may be due to the effect of excessive amounts of prolactin on the work of the ovaries.
Hyperprolactinaemia is one of the main causes of anovulation and is responsible for menstruation disorders and infertility. However, science was little aware of the details of the mechanism that cause this pathology. The maximum the scientists could use was knowledge of the increased level of prolactin and its effect on the reproductive function of women, as well as information on the disruption of the production of the hormone gonadoliberin (GnRH), one of the most important hormones affecting the reproductive system and fertility.
Until now, specialists could not understand the inhibition of prolactin in neurons of gonadoliberin. Therefore, researchers have another version. They suggested that these processes can be caused by the action of other molecules.
Experts found that prolactin has an indirect effect on gonadoliberin.
To conduct the study experimentally, scientists conducted experiments on mice. They found that prolactin effectively inhibits the secretion of the neurons of the above gonadoliberin neurons, which are necessary for their functioning. They excrete a neurohormone, known as kissessin.
With the introduction of neurohormone cisspeptin, it is possible to restore the production of the hormone gonadoliberin and thus restart the ovaries, despite hyperprolactinemia.
This explains the relationship between infertility and hyperprolactinemia, and also gives hope to the development of new approaches to the treatment of infertility.
"This is a wonderful result," the researchers say, "it means that treatment with cisseptin will help restore reproductive function in women with hyperprolactinemia."
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