Neuroendocrine regulation of female fertility: the role of CNS-derived hormones.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of human and animal mechanistic literature without systematic review methodology
PubMed 42274282 · doi:10.1530/JME-25-0049
What was done
Narrative review of human and animal studies published between 2015 and 2025, retrieved from PubMed and Scopus. The authors synthesized evidence on how hormones derived from the central nervous system (hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and pineal gland)—including GnRH, LH, FSH, melatonin, ACTH, TSH, and vasopressin—modulate female reproductive health, including ovulation, oocyte quality, and embryo development.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or specific effect sizes. Qualitatively, it highlights that pulsatile GnRH release directs LH and FSH secretion for follicular maturation and ovulation; melatonin supports oocyte viability and menstrual cyclicity; ACTH and TSH influence reproductive physiology; and vasopressin alters uterine activity and endocrine synthesis.
Why it matters
Integrates multiple central neuroendocrine axes into a unified framework for understanding fertility disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Limits
This is a narrative review without documented systematic screening, protocol registration, or formal quality/risk-of-bias assessment. Findings combine evidence from human and animal models without delineating species-specific differences, and no quantitative outcomes or sample sizes are reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secreted by the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland to synthesize and release luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).