Microglia: Sculptors of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-Like Brain?
June 2023
in “
Reproduction
”
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS anovulatory infertility neuroendocrine dysfunction microglia androgen excess kisspeptin neurons GnRH LH hormones glutamate GABA HPG axis infertility brain dysfunction immune cells androgens kisspeptin gonadotropin-releasing hormone luteinizing hormone neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
TLDR Microglia, the brain's immune cells, may contribute to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) by altering the female brain's structure and function, with kisspeptin neurons and GABA neurotransmitters also playing a role.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of anovulatory infertility, is associated with neuroendocrine dysfunction, suggesting a key role of the brain in its development. The document reviews the role of microglia, the brain's innate immune cells, in mediating changes in the female brain that contribute to PCOS-like features. Evidence from preclinical models has linked androgen excess during prenatal life with altered structure and function of the developing female brain, with microglia playing a significant role. The document also discusses the role of kisspeptin neurons, glutamate and GABA neurotransmitters in PCOS. Kisspeptin neurons, which mediate the release of GnRH/LH hormones, are found to be elevated in some PCOS patients. Glutamate levels are unchanged in PCOS patients, while GABA levels are elevated, suggesting GABA's role in the dysregulation of the PCOS HPG axis. The exact mechanisms remain unclear, and future research is needed to understand these mechanisms and their role in the pathology of PCOS.
