Abstract
“Psychological” and “physical” stress may inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in animal species and man. In addition, the drastic fall in T levels observed during stress may occur without any concomitant fall in plasma LH. This dissociation between LH and T during stress has been investigated and several “in vivo” and “in vitro” experiments performed in adult Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to chronic immobilization stress. In intact or hypophysectionized rats LH-releasing hormone induced a significantly greater release of LH in stressed animals than in normal controls. The sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to circulating T levels was decreased while the testis was relatively less sensitive to exogenous gonadotropic stimulation. Evidence of a blockade in the biosynthesis of T situated beyond cAMP was obtained together with that of an inhibitory factor of pituitary origin, exclusive of endorphins and of other opiate peptides. The action of the factors involved which are likely multifactorial is both extremely rapid and persistant since the effect of immobilization on T release is already apparent 30 minutes after the initiation of stress and persists at least 24 hours after cessation of the exposure to stress.
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Ducharme, J., Charpenet, G., Tache, Y. et al. Studies on the mechanisms of stress-induced inhibition of testicular function. Pediatr Res 15, 1561 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198112000-00159
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198112000-00159