Steger R W, Peluso J J
Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale.
Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1987 Dec;16(4):1027-43.
Aging of the human ovary results in a gradual diminution in ovarian steroid production, followed by an abrupt and almost complete cessation of both estrogen and progesterone production at the menopause. Although carefully controlled quantitative studies have not been published, it appears that the human reproductive axis still retains its ability to respond to steroid action. However, it still remains to be determined if alterations in cycle length and regularity preceding the menopause are due to changes in ovarian function or to subtle changes in the hypothalamic pituitary axis. More experimental evidence is available to describe the etiology of age-related reproductive dysfunction in laboratory rodents. From these studies, it appears that hypothalamic dysfunction is the principal cause for cessation of reproductive cycles. Recent evidence suggests that aging of the hypothalamus is due to cumulative effects of estrogen exposure over the course of the reproductive life span.
人类卵巢的老化会导致卵巢甾体激素分泌逐渐减少，随后在绝经时雌激素和孕激素分泌突然且几乎完全停止。尽管尚未发表经过严格控制的定量研究，但人类生殖轴似乎仍保留对甾体激素作用作出反应的能力。然而，绝经前月经周期长度和规律性的改变是由于卵巢功能变化还是下丘脑 - 垂体轴的细微变化，仍有待确定。有更多实验证据可用于描述实验啮齿动物中与年龄相关的生殖功能障碍的病因。从这些研究来看，下丘脑功能障碍似乎是生殖周期停止的主要原因。最近的证据表明，下丘脑老化是生殖寿命期间雌激素暴露累积效应的结果。
