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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder in women, affecting 10% of pre-menopausal women. Women with PCOS may present with a number of reproductive, metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological complications and co-morbidities. Despite this, PCOS remains one of the most poorly understood medical disorders among patients, physicians, and scientists. Fortunately, KPE’s Cardiovascular Health and Autonomic Research Laboratory (CHARLab) is one of Canada’s leading research labs on PCOS. Dr. Charlotte Usselman and her team investigate neuro-vascular regulation of cardiovascular outcomes at rest and during exposure to acute stressors in women with PCOS.

Danielle Berbrier, 1^st year PhD student who also completed her MSc in the CHARLab, offers an insight into why PCOS is overlooked in research and in healthcare: ‘PCOS is a heterogenous disorder and there are many uncertainties about the cause(s) and pathway(s), therefore little is known about how to optimally diagnose, manage, and treat women with PCOS’. She continues to state that the associated co-morbidities, mentioned above, complicate the understanding of this disorder.

To deepen the understanding of disorder, the CHARLab conducts research into multiple avenues of PCOS. This year, they will be examining the effects of cardiovascular function to acute bouts of exercise, mindfulness interventions, and educational programming for lean and obese women with PCOS. The graduate students conducting this research are Danielle Berbrier, Alicia Duval, Brittany Schwende, Emily Bensimon, and Will Huckins.

While awareness of PCOS is rising, in-part due to PCOS Awareneness Month (September) and World PCOS Day (September 1^st), there continues to be a lack of research in this area. However, the CHARLab believes that women with PCOS deserve quality research and education in order to advance PCOS knowledge and ultimately improve the lives of individuals living with this disorder.

To find out more about CHARLab and their research, visit their .