Central regulation of the menstrual cycle and functional disorders-Novel aspects of pathophysiology and treatment approaches

The knowledge of the meticulously coordinated cycle regulation is crucial for understanding the menstrual cycle. Functional disorders with disruption of the central regulation are manifested as ovulation disorders or even lead to amenorrhea. After exclusion of organic causes possible functional disorders of the reproductive and general health must be individually considered. This article describes the central cycle regulation based on current knowledge. An animation facilitates the understanding of interactions in the gonadal axis and illustrates the impact of functional disorders. The diagnostics and treatment according to current guidelines and new approaches are presented.