If the diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is increasingly simple to ask, the origin of this syndrome remains to this day completely unknown. Maybe more for a very long time though. Indeed, researchers at Inserm (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) and the University of Lille think they have found the cause of this painful female disease: PCOS is due to the overexcitation of brain neurons.

The culprit: "a hormone produced by the ovaries"

According to the results of their study, published in the journal "Nature Medicine" May 14, 2018, the polycystic ovarian syndrome would have an influence on the ovaries, but also on the activity of neurons located in the hypothalamus that manage the reproduction. And it is by observing this zone - mouse - that the link of cause and effect has been established. Therefore, "a hormone produced by the ovaries, called anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), overproduced in women with PCOS," say scientists.

Between 6% and 12% of women of childbearing age are affected by polycystic ovary syndrome. A small proportion that may explain why the causes of this syndrome are not yet fully known. This pathology, which modifies the growth of the follicles and the production of eggs, creating disorders of the menstrual cycle and consequently ovulation, is one of the main factors of infertility in women.