Monoamines and function of ovaries of rats selected for enhancement of catatonic reactivity

Abstract

There have been studied the contents of dopamine, noradrenalin, and serotonin in thalamus as well as function of ovary (folliculogenesis) at various stages of estral cycle in female rats of the genetic catatonia (GC) line selected for enhancement of catatonic reactivity. The outbred Wistar line was a control. The selection for enhancement of catatonic reactivity has led to a decrease of the number of follicles of all types in ovary of female rats of the GC line at stages of diestrus and proestrus. Meanwhile at the estrus stages of the GC line female rats, on the contrary, there was a tendency for an increase of the number of growing follicles as compared with that in female Wistar rats. It has been shown that on the background of a decrease of the dopamine and noradrenalin content in hypothalamus of the GC line rats the catecholamine level was higher at the estrus and lower at the diestrus stage. Thus, selection for manifestation of excessive protective catatonic type of response in the form of an increase of duration and intensity of freezing leads, by involvement of the brain monoergic system, to inhibition of folliculogenesis that is the key factor in regulation of sexual function.