Abstract
Vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats, pose a significant symptomatic
burden to women undergoing menopause, and negatively impact on both their physical
and psychological well-being. Management of these symptoms can be challenging, with
the use of conventional hormone replacement therapy limited by duration of treatment
and clinical contraindications. Recent advances in our understanding of the neuroendocrine
regulation of the reproductive axis and thermoregulation postmenopause has helped
identify a promising new therapeutic target to ameliorate hot flushes. Antagonism
of the neurokinin B/neurokinin-3 receptor (NK3R) signaling pathway has emerged as
an efficacious treatment in managing vasomotor symptoms, with evidence of rapid and
sustained reduction in hot flush frequency and severity and improvements in secondary
quality-of-life measures such as sleep. Within this review, we will explore the growing
body of evidence supporting the use of NK3R antagonists in the management of vasomotor
symptoms, and the possible utility in managing dysfunctional sex-hormone–dependent
disorders and glycolipid metabolism disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Keywords
hot flushes - neurokinin B - neurokinin 3 receptor - menopause
