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Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care 1997 Mar;2(1):63-9 Effects of sex steroid hormones on the neuroendocrine system. Genazzani AR, Lucchesi A, Stomati M, Catarsi S, Genazzani AD, Criscuolo M, Petraglia F Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pisa, Italy. Estrogen and progesterone are the most important ovarian steroid hormones regulating female fertility. They have a profound effect on the central nervous system. Target functions of sex steroids in the brain are: pituitary and hypothalamic hormone release, thermoregulatory and cardiocirculatory activities and behavior and mood changes. Furthermore, several studies have shown a correlation between brain neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and sex steroid hormones: they influence synthesis and release of norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, gonadotropin releasing hormone, beta-endorphin, corticotropin releasing factor and prolactin. Thus, oral hormone contraceptives inhibit the ovulatory process by blocking the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. This inhibitory effect seems to be due to the action of both estrogens and progestins. PMID: 9678110, UI: 98343081 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----