Abstract
SUMMARY The influence that the interruption of the neural afferents to the hypothalamus exerts on ovulation and on the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) was studied in the rat. Animals with retrochiasmatic sections interrupting the neural connexions between the medial hypothalamus and the preoptic area (POA) showed constant oestrus and failed to ovulate. Animals in which the dorsal neural afferents to the POA were transected had oestrous cycles and ovulated normally. The positive feedback effect of progesterone on LH release in spayed animals primed either with 20 μg. oestradiol benzoate or 2·5 mg. testosterone propionate 3 days before was studied. Transection of the dorsal afferents to the POA favoured an increase in plasma LH, but in animals with retrochiasmatic sections the response was abolished. However, the negative feedback effect of ovarian steroids operated after both types of transection because an increase in plasma LH occurred after ovariectomy. It is concluded that the negative feedback effect of ovarian steroids acts on the medial hypothalamus which can maintain a tonic release of gonadotrophins in the absence of steroids. In contrast, the POA involved in the positive feedback effect of progesterone is concerned with the phasic release of LH.
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