Is delaying menopause the key to longevity?

It’s the shortened lifespan of the ovaries that also makes them such a promising site for experimentation. Researchers think that extending their function, by better matching the length of their viability with that of other organs, could potentially change the course of a woman’s health – and longevity research in general.

Dr. Wegrzyn said she hopes the White House initiative, in which researchers and startups are competing for a share of the program’s $100 million budget, will highlight the connection between menopause and longevity while attracting more funding and talent to the field.

“If you’re not thinking about ovarian function as you age,” says Jennifer Garrison, an assistant professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, “you’re kind of missing the boat.”

How the Ovaries Are Involved in Aging

The ovaries function as the control center of “a complex network of signals in a woman’s body,” said Dr. Garrison. Through hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, as well as other chemicals, the ovaries communicate with and influence virtually every other organ. Scientists do not yet know exactly how the ovaries do this, but what they do know is that when the ovaries no longer function normally, all kinds of problems arise. For example, in young women this can manifest as polycystic ovarian syndrome, which increases the risk of metabolic disease, heart disease, mental health problems, and more.

As a woman’s egg count decreases, eventually causing menopause, the chemical communication of the ovaries seems to shut down. This is consistent with an increased risk of dementia, cardiovascular diseaseosteoporosis and other age-related diseases. The earlier a woman enters this stage of life, the greater her risk for developing those conditions, and the her life shorter is likely. And in women who enter menopause prematurely because their ovaries have been surgically removed, the risks for chronic conditions are even greater. That suggests that even after the ovaries stop releasing eggs at menopause, they may still be somewhat protective of a woman’s overall health, said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, the medical director of the Menopause Society. It’s just unclear how.