The Link Between Glucose Availability and Reproductive Health: Study Offers Potential Treatment for Infertility and Depression

Tuesday - May 14 2024, 17:17 UTC - 6 months ago

A study by scientists at Nagoya University has shown that serotonin neurons play a crucial role in maintaining reproductive function by responding to glucose availability and stimulating the release of reproductive hormones. This offers a potential explanation for the reduced fertility often seen in individuals with depression and suggests that drugs that target serotonin levels, such as SSRI antidepressants, may also help treat infertility. The research also opens up possibilities for developing novel treatments for other reproductive disorders and suggests a potential connection between serotonin neurons and other physiological processes.

Scientists from Nagoya University in Japan have clarified the connection between energy levels and fertility in both animals and humans. They discovered that signaling from serotonin neurons plays a crucial role in maintaining reproductive function by detecting glucose availability, which in turn enhances the release of the reproductive hormone gonadotropin. These findings also offer an explanation for the reduced fertility seen in individuals with depression and suggest potential treatments. The study, led by Designated Associate Professor Sho Nakamura and Professors Hiroko Tsukamura and Satoshi Ohkura, was published in Scientific Reports.

People who lack sufficient nutrition encounter problems with their reproductive health. For example, ballet dancers can experience menstrual disruptions, and women who fast can struggle to conceive. According to the researchers, one of the main factors that affect a person's reproductive health is glucose availability. Elevated glucose levels in rat brains stimulate serotonergic neurons, leading to the release of serotonin. This crucial neurotransmitter affects the body and mind in various ways, including mood, behavior, and physiological processes like bone health and metabolism.

The research team administered serotonin to goat brains, which triggered the activation of kisspeptin neurons, the primary stimulator for the release of key reproductive hormones. Professor Tsukamura explains, 'We used rats and goats as models because rats are a useful human model, whereas goats serve as a livestock model.' This suggests that serotonergic neurons can release serotonin upon sensing high levels of glucose and interact with serotonin receptors in kisspeptin neurons to improve reproductive functions. The use of inhibitors for serotonergic signaling also supported this finding, showing that low levels of serotonin can be linked to fertility issues in mammals with poor diets.

Depression is often associated with malfunctioning serotonergic neurons, making them a target for treatment. The research team's findings suggest that low activity of serotonin neurons may contribute to the development of depression and related issues like infertility. Professor Tsukamura adds, 'Since selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to treat depression in patients, studies indicate that these drugs may also have potential benefits for addressing depression-related infertility and treating animals.' By blocking the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, SSRIs increase serotonin levels, potentially improving reproductive function.

The study's results have opened up possibilities for developing novel treatments for other reproductive disorders and suggest a potential connection between serotonin neurons and other physiological processes like metabolism. The findings also offer hope for addressing infertility and depression, two significant issues that greatly affect individuals and their quality of life worldwide.