Changing activities of neurons controlling reproduction in menopausal transition and neural mechanism underlying hot flush

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K15194
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 46010:Neuroscience-general-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Goto Teppei 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, 研究員 (20772049)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 更年期 / 老化 / 生殖中枢 / イメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In perimenopausal women, the estrogen decline with ovarian aging likely triggers menopausal symptoms induced by changing the function of autonomic function. The current study aimed to elucidate the dynamics of the pulsatile activity of kisspeptin neurons as the reproductive center during reproductive aging and the neural circuit mechanism inducing hot flashes in perimenopause. During the transition to reproductive senescence, the frequency of kisspeptin pulses remains mostly unchanged, whereas the intensities tend to decline. The results were published as the original article. We also found that ovariectomized mice show hot flash-like symptoms, in which a rapid rise in tail skin temperature is maintained for several minutes.

Free Research Field

神経内分泌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

閉経より寿命が長い動物自体が珍しく、ホットフラッシュを含む更年期障害の動物モデルの欠如が、ホットフラッシュに限らず更年期障害の神経回路的な発症機序の理解を妨げてきた。本研究によって、モデル動物であるマウスにおいてもホットフラッシュ症状が観察され、ホットフラッシュモデルとしての有用性を示せた。ホットフラッシュを導く神経回路に生殖中枢キスペプチンニューロンのパルス活動が関与する可能性は低く、別のニューロンに着目したアプローチが必要である。