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Co-involvement of psychological and neurological abnormalities in infertility with polycystic ovarian syndrome

  • Reproductive Medicine
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Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To investigate psychological distress, serum levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites, as well as their correlation with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Methods

Thirty infertility patients with PCOS were assigned as the experimental group and 30 infertility patients without PCOS were assigned as the control group. Psychological distress was self-evaluated in all patients with Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Serum concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and its metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), dopamine (DA) and its metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and dihydroxy-phenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results

The anxious and depressive subscales of SCL-90 were significantly higher in infertility patients with PCOS than those without PCOS (p < 0.05). The serum concentrations of 5-HT, 5-HIAA and HVA were significantly lower in infertility patients with PCOS than those without PCOS (p < 0.05). Importantly, the phobia subscale scores of SCL-90 positively correlated with serum MHPG level (p < 0.05), while the hostility subscale’s scores negatively correlated with serum DOPAC level (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Psychological and neurological factors play a crucial role in PCOS.

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Conflict of interest

All of the authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China

    Xiaobo Shi, Lingyan Zhang, Shuxin Fu & Na Li

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  1. Xiaobo Shi
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  2. Lingyan Zhang
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  3. Shuxin Fu
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  4. Na Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaobo Shi.

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Shi, X., Zhang, L., Fu, S. et al. Co-involvement of psychological and neurological abnormalities in infertility with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Arch Gynecol Obstet 284, 773–778 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-011-1947-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-011-1947-1

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