Neuroendocrine ageing: its impact on the reproductive system of the female rat.

Numerous changes occur with age at all levels of the reproductive axis. Clearly, changing ovarian function plays a critical role in the cessation of reproductive cycles. Likewise, many changes in the function of neurotransmitters, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone and gonadotrophin itself appear to contribute to the ageing of the reproductive axis. It appears that the effects of ageing on neural time-keeping mechanisms may be important in the cascade of events that lead to reproductive dysfunction. The use of modern neurobiological and molecular methods to assess neural function within small regions of the brain should deepen our understanding of the complex interactions between neuroendocrine systems that underlie female reproductive cycles and cause them to change with age.