Neural substrates underlying rhythmic coupling of female reproductive and thermoregulatory circuits

Frontiers in Physiology

Physiology

Lance J. Kriegsfeld¹  Azure D. Grant² 

[1] Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States;The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States;Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States;Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States;Levels Health Inc, New York, NY, United States;

关键词: HPG;    TIDA;    ventral tegmental area;    biological rhythms;    coupled oscillators;    network physiology;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fphys.2023.1254287

 received in 2023-07-06, accepted in 2023-08-30,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Coordinated fluctuations in female reproductive physiology and thermoregulatory output have been reported for over a century. These changes occur rhythmically at the hourly (ultradian), daily (circadian), and multi-day (ovulatory) timescales, are critical for reproductive function, and have led to the use of temperature patterns as a proxy for female reproductive state. The mechanisms underlying coupling between reproductive and thermoregulatory systems are not fully established, hindering the expansion of inferences that body temperature can provide about female reproductive status. At present, numerous digital tools rely on temperature to infer the timing of ovulation and additional applications (e.g., monitoring ovulatory irregularities and progression of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause are developed based on the assumption that reproductive-thermoregulatory coupling occurs across timescales and life stages. However, without clear understanding of the mechanisms and degree of coupling among the neural substrates regulating temperature and the reproductive axis, whether such approaches will bear fruit in particular domains is uncertain. In this overview, we present evidence supporting broad coupling among the central circuits governing reproduction, thermoregulation, and broader systemic physiology, focusing on timing at ultradian frequencies. Future work characterizing the dynamics of reproductive-thermoregulatory coupling across the lifespan, and of conditions that may decouple these circuits (e.g., circadian disruption, metabolic disease) and compromise female reproductive health, will aid in the development of strategies for early detection of reproductive irregularities and monitoring the efficacy of fertility treatments.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Grant and Kriegsfeld.