MAIN HYPOTHALAMIC DISORDERS AS A CAUSE OF PRIMARY AMENORRHEA: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Primary amenorrhea is identified as the absence of menarche in women up to the age of 13 without the development of sexual characteristics or up to the age of 15 with the development of secondary sexual characteristics. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the main hypothalamic disorders related to primary amenorrhea, given the difficulty in diagnosis due to the lack of recognition of associated syndromes. METHODOLOGY: The study's scientific methodology is an integrative review of the medical literature, guided by searches in the international databases Virtual Health Library (VHL), PubMED and MEDLINE. RESULTS: Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) is a disease caused by GnRH deficiency. It is a rare condition, more associated with males. However, when it occurs in females, it is associated with amenorrhea and delayed pubertal development. Kallmann Syndrome (KS) is a condition that induces primary amenorrhea through the mechanism of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, due to low gonadotropin levels. However, it differs from HHC by the presence of associated anosmia. CONCLUSION: It can therefore be concluded that the main mechanism involved in primary hypothalamic amenorrhea is the dysfunctional production or release of the hormone GnRH, which acts on the pituitary gland to release gonadotropins and helps regulate the HHO axis.