By mining large-population genetic data sets, researchers identify the key factors controlling menopause timing, and reveal a close connection between reproductive longevity, cancer risk and new mutations in children.
Author: Anne Goriely
Menopause is a major physiological transition that signals the natural end of the ability to reproduce. Writing in Nature, Stankovic et al pinpoint some of the genetic factors that determine the timing of menopause. They show that these factors also influence an individual’s cancer risk and the genetic quality of the egg, which affects how many mutations newly arise in an egg and are passed on to children. These findings not only help to decipher the complex mechanisms that control reproductive ageing in women, but they also have implications for the safety of future treatments that aim to extend female fertility.
