Co-involvement of psychological and neurological abnormalities in infertility with polycystic ovarian syndrome

To investigate psychological distress, serum levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites, as well as their correlation with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Thirty infertility patients with PCOS were assigned as the experimental group and 30 infertility patients without PCOS were assigned as the control group. Psychological distress was self-evaluated in all patients with Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Serum concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and its metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), dopamine (DA) and its metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and dihydroxy-phenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The anxious and depressive subscales of SCL-90 were significantly higher in infertility patients with PCOS than those without PCOS (p < 0.05). The serum concentrations of 5-HT, 5-HIAA and HVA were significantly lower in infertility patients with PCOS than those without PCOS (p < 0.05). Importantly, the phobia subscale scores of SCL-90 positively correlated with serum MHPG level (p < 0.05), while the hostility subscale's scores negatively correlated with serum DOPAC level (p < 0.05). Psychological and neurological factors play a crucial role in PCOS.