title: The area postrema mediates insulin hypoglycaemia-induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion in the female rat.
abstract: The caudal brainstem has been implicated in mediating the suppressive effect of glucoprivation on the reproductive neuroendocrine axis, specifically inhibition of pulsatile gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)/luteinising hormone (LH) release in the rat. In the present study, removal of the area postrema completely prevented the profound inhibitory effect of insulin-induced hypoglycaemic stress on pulsatile LH release. These results suggest a pivotal role for this brainstem structure in mediating hypoglycaemic stress-induced suppression of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomy, Cell and Human Biology, GKT School of Biomedical Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, UK.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cates
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: O'Byrne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010507:Periodicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone