A woman's ovaries are like a factory where eggs grow and produce hormones that regulate everything from menstruation and pregnancy to bone density and mood. As she and her factory age, production dwindles, and by the time she hits menopause (age 51, on average), the factory is preparing to shut its doors. A new Northwestern Medicine study in mice has discovered a novel way to lengthen the "healthspan" of this factory -; improving maintenance of the ovaries and preventing key age-related changes in ovarian function.
"Healthspan" refers to the length of time a person remains healthy and free from serious illness or chronic diseases. The average age of menopause has stayed constant over the years, but women are living decades longer than that because of health and medical advances. We've changed the landscape of how we live, and our ovarian function needs to catch up so that we have an organ that functions proportionately to maintain women's healthspans longer.
" Francesca Duncan, corresponding author, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology (reproductive science in medicine) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine The findings will be published Sept. 16 in the journal GeroScience . For this study, researchers used Pirfenidone, which is commonly used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
But other ongoing studies are underway to identify optimal drug targets for ovarian fibrosis and to conduct clinical trials in women. "This drug is not one that can be u.