Responsiveness
of the Reproductive System to Pineal Hormones and to Serotonergic
Drugs in the Developing and in the Aging Rat by Csilla Ruzsas and Kazuhiko Shirama
Abstract:
In
the present study, age-dependent action of pineal hormones and
serotonergic drugs was demonstrated in 2 types of constant estrous-anovulatory
(CEA) syndrome, in 2 critical intervals of sexual development:
1.
CEA syndrome induced in the perinatal age by androgen sterilization
(NA-CEA state),
2.
spontaneously developed CEA syndrome present in aging rats
during the period of reproductive senescence (AG-CEA state).
Interventions
affecting pineal gland or brain serotonergic neurons were weakly
influential on NA-CEA state. In AG-CEA rats, however, reappearance
of cyclicity was induced by drugs increasing serotonergic tone,
while daily melatonin treatment was less effective in this respect.
- On the other hand, the results also suggest that modification
of peripheral sexual steroid blood levels might also contribute
to the reproductive dysfunction in the observed 2 types of CEA
syndromes.
