Researchers discover GnIH (Gonadotropin Inhibitory Hormone)

New Human Reproductive Hormone Could Lead To Novel Contraceptives And New Cancer Treatments

[Researchers] showed that the hormones are present in a region of the brain, the hypothalamus, that controls reproduction. In addition, GnIH affects nerve cells that secrete GnRH, which is in line with previous findings that GnIH down-regulates GnRH.

Finally, they found that the hypothalamus and pituitary - two key parts of the reproductive axis in the brain have receptors for the hormones.

..."GnIH pushes the pause button on reproduction, but in a variety of ways," Bentley said. "It can act on GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus, inhibiting GnRH release; it can act directly on pituitary; or it can influence the gonads directly. The overall effect is to inhibit reproduction, but at different levels of the reproductive axis."