Environmental exposures impact gamete function and fertility, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we show that pheromones sensed by ciliated neurons in the C. elegans nose alter the lipid microenvironment within the oviduct, thereby affecting sperm motility. In favorable environments, pheromone-responsive sensory neurons secrete a TGF-β ligand called DAF-7, which acts as a neuroendocrine factor that stimulates prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (Cox)-independent prostaglandin synthesis in the ovary. Oocytes secrete F class prostaglandins that guide sperm toward them. These prostaglandins are also synthesized in Cox knockout mice, raising the possibility that similar mechanisms exist in other animals. Our data indicate environmental cues perceived by the female nervous system affect sperm function.

Objectives To examine regional and Black-White differences in mean age at self-reported menopause among community-dwelling women in the US. Study Design Cross-sectional survey conducted in the context of the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke and Myocardial Infarction study. Results We studied 22,484 menopausal women. After controlling for covariates, Southern women reported menopause 10.8 months earlier than Northeastern women, 8.4 months earlier than Midwestern women, and 6.0 months earlier than Western women (p<0.05 for all). No difference was observed in menopausal age between Black and White women after controlling for covariates (p=0.69). Conclusions Women in the South report earlier menopause than those in other regions, but the cause remains unclear. Our study's large sample size and adjustment for multiple confounders lends weight to our finding of no racial difference in age at menopause. More study is needed of the implications of these findings with regard to vascular health.

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