About this Research Topic

Background

The control of female reproductive life is utterly reliant on hormone-sensitive brain circuits. These central networks govern pituitary and gonadal functions to guarantee the awakening of reproductive cycles, fertility, and sexual behavior through neuroendocrine systems. This neuroendocrine communication is shaped by sensory, metabolic, circadian, and aversive inputs (e.g.: stress) giving the right pace to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In particular, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons exert a crucial role in female physiology, while disturbances within the GnRH neuronal network may cause various reproductive disorders. Despite great efforts from different research groups in the field, many pieces of this puzzling scenario on how different brain circuits orchestrated female reproduction remain unknown.

The present Research Topic aims to deliver novel insights into our understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning the neuroendocrine female brain in healthy and pathological conditions. We welcome original research, reviews, and perspective articles across different views: from basic to clinical investigations, from cell to behavioral studies, and from genetic to neuronal modeling methodologies. From prenatal life to fertile life and menopause, neuronal circuits govern the female’s reproductive life and highly influence the functioning of other physiological systems. Although many of the neuroendocrine mechanisms have been known for years for both sexes, the specific regulation in the female brain remains poorly understood and acknowledged within our scientific community. We aim to gather cutting-edge research to highlight insights about hormone-sensitive brain circuits impacting women’s reproduction and health.

Areas to be covered include, but are not limited to:
• Hormone actions in the hypothalamic circuitry controlling female reproduction
• Regulatory mechanisms in brain circuitry linking metabolism and reproduction
• The influence of stress on female fertility and pregnancy
• Neural mechanisms underlying female sexual behavior
• Female reproductive disorders and sexual dysfunction
• Circadian and seasonal rhythms
• Hormone-sensitive extra-hypothalamic circuitry influencing female fertility
• Translational approaches uncovering the central mechanisms of female fertility

Keywords: neural circuits, female brain, neuroendocrinology of reproduction, GnRH, fertility

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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