Hot flashes from menopause come to an end

Certain hypothalamic neurons (a region of the brain that controls hormonal levels) may be responsible for hot flashes in postmenopausal women, according to a mouse study at the University of Washington in Seattle, United States.

The researchers artificially activated a group of neurons called Kiss1, able to react to the levels of bad hormones in the blood. As a result, neurons trigger a response in animals similar to menopausal hot flashes, causing vasodilation of the blood vessels of the skin with loss of heat and decreased body temperature. This response was accentuated when ovarian excision was added in the mice.

"Since these neurons are conserved in humans and perform similar functions to mice, this gives us specific evidence about how they are likely to be generated." Hot flashes " , says Christopher Johanson, co-author of the study

It is not yet known if this would be the only mechanism for producing hot flashes.