The brain plays a vital role in controlling reproductive functions. It helps to maintain a delicate balance of hormones, all of which can be affected by the metabolism. Investigating the impact of the metabolism on reproductive development and function is critical to a better understanding of health and diseases. Professor Carol Fuzeti Elias and Dr Cristina Sáenz de Miera Patín from the University of Michigan in the USA, carry out groundbreaking research in neuroscience, exploring the molecular and neural mechanisms at play.