Polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS)is a condition that affects roughlyone in five women – and now , scientists think they make out why . ( Just in time forNational Women ’s Health Week . )
A study published inNature Medicinefound a link between hormonal imbalance in the womb and PCOS , specifically prenatal exposure to a growth factor calledanti - Müllerian hormone(AMH ) .
The squad , top by Paolo Giacobini at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research , actualize horizontal surface of AMH were 30 percentage in high spirits in pregnant woman with PCOS than those without . Because there is a ancestral portion to the shape , they decided to test whether or not woman with this hormonal imbalance give birth to daughters with PCOS .
“ It ’s a revolutionary new way of thinking about polycystic ovary syndrome and afford up a whole mountain chain of opportunities for further probe , ” explained Robert Norman from the University of Adelaide , Australia , reportsNew Scientist .
For the study , the researchers injected pregnant mice with AMH so that they had a higher than normal concentration of the internal secretion . Indeed , they pass on birth to girl who subsequently develop PCOS - like tendency . These include problems with fertility , delayed puberty , and erratic ovulation .
According to the researchers , the added AMH appeared to motivate the overstimulation of a exceptional set of mentality cadre called GnRH nerve cell , which are responsible for manage the body ’s testosterone levels . Hence , the materialization displayed higher spirit level of testosterone . The result : a " virilization of the exposed female fetus " and a " PCOS - corresponding reproductive and neuroendocrine phenotype " by the prison term they reached maturity date .
But , excitingly , the team were n’t just able to decide the cause of PCOS , they were able to reverse it ( in mice , anyway ) . To do so , the researchers drug the polycystic mice with an IVF drug called cetrorelix , which made the symptoms to go by .
This could be great tidings for the one thousand thousand of woman with the condition , often characterized by extravagant hair emergence , hair loss , acne , and obesity , though symptom can vary from patient to patient . It is also the most unwashed case of sterility .
Next up , the team is planning to trial the drug in humans . test are design to take place later in the yr .
“ It could be an attractive scheme to restore ovulation and eventually increase the pregnancy rate in these woman , ” say Giacobini , reportsNew Scientist .
