>CONTACT: Marguerite Beck
>>
>>UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA REPRODUCTION CENTER AWARDED
>>$5 MILLION BY NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
>>
>>CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 20 -- The National Institutes of Health has
>>awarded $5 million over five years to the University of Virginia
Center
>>for Research on Reproduction to study polycystic ovary disease, one of
>>the most common hormonal disorders in women.
>>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), also known as Stein-Leventhal
>>syndrome, causes women to have a variety of symptoms including:
>>irregular or no periods; infertility problems; excess facial hair;
>>obesity and high insulin levels; a higher incidence of diabetes and
>>cardiovascular disease; and increased rates of uterine cancer.
>>"Although doctors have known since the 1930s that PCOS was related to
>>fertility problems, it is only in the last three to five years that
>>doctors have discovered that there are underlying, more serious health
>>risks associated with the disorder," said Dr. John Marshall, professor
>>of internal medicine at U.Va. and principal investigator of the study.
>>"The purpose of this study is to examine the two leading theories as
to
>>the cause of the syndrome and hopefully, uncover the root problem."
>> The first theory is that PCOS is caused by an abnormality in the part
>>of the brain, the hypothalamus, that causes an incorrect hormone
signal
>>to be sent to the ovaries. This
>>- more -
>>"wrong message" tells the ovaries to produce too much male hormone,
>>Marshall said.
>>The second theory is that the real problem is in the ovary itself;
>>either its ability to manufacture the steroid -- male and female --
>>hormones is out of balance, or insulin is somehow changing the way the
>>ovaries make steroid hormones.
>>"Of course, it could be facets of all three," Marshall said.
>>The research team at U.Va. will study the disorder from both a
clinical
>>and basic science perspective. The clinical trial, which focuses on
>>ovarian responses to signaling mechanisms, is a joint project with Dr.
>>John Nestler of the Medical College of Virginia.
>>U.Va.'s center was one of only four reproduction centers in the
country
>>to receive funding from NIH. The other centers are at Johns Hopkins
>>University, the University of Maryland and Baylor University.
>>###
>>
>>May 20, 1998
>>
>>