Association of sympathetic nervous system activity with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disease with high prevalence which has various clinical manifestations and increased risk of long-term complications, such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hormone related tumor. However, the etiology of PCOS is still unclear. Consequently, the effect of symptomatic treatment is not always satisfactory and the prognosis is also unpredictable. Currently, commonly psychological syndromes and imbalance of sympathetic neuroendocrine system have been found in PCOS population, and increasing evidence highlighted the hypothesis that characteristics of PCOS could be partially explained by the instability of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Furthermore, surgical intervention of animal trials in order to normalize SNS could improve symptoms of PCOS. This review attempted to clarify the relationship between SNS and PCOS development and then discuss the possible new therapies in PCOS treatment via regulating the SNS.