Neuroendocrine mechanisms by which leptin regulates reproduction

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/289303

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

The reproductive system is sensitive to alterations in body weight. In particular, low body weight causes the reproductive system to cease functioning. This is because the brain 'senses' metabolic status and responds by ceasing to secrete the brain hormone that drives the reproductive process. This hormone is gonadotropin releasing hormone that acts on the pituitary gland to control the release of gonadotropins. These, in turn, act on the gonads. How the brain perceives metabolic status is not known. Leptin is a hormone that is produced by fat and acts on the brain. This appears to be one of the means by which the reproductive system is regulated. Leptin also regulates food intake and other brain processes. Leptin acts on specific cell types in the brain. Some of these may have dual function to regulated appetite as well as reproduction. The present proposal is for work to determine mechanisms within the brain that are altered by leptin. We will also determine which specific mechanisms relate to the regulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone. The work will provide information on how putative appetite regulators might affect the reproductive axis. Such work will provide a platform for design of pharmaceutical means to manipulate the reproductive axis and will impact on the design of drugs that regulate obesity. It is possible that drugs that developed to control obesity may affect the reproductive axis and the project will identify these.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2004

End Date: 01-01-2006

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $447,750.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Reproduction

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

brain sensing of metabolic status | control of gonadotropin releasing hormone release | control of reproduction | effect on reproduction of drugs for weight control | effects of alteration in body weight | hypothalamic neuropeptide regulation | leptin action on the brain | metabolic control of reproduction | neuroendocrinology of reproduction

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