title: Chronic immobilization-induced stress increases plasma testosterone and delays testicular maturation in pubertal rats.
abstract: We investigated whether chronic stress, applied from prepuberty to early puberty, interferes with the spermatogenic and androgenic testicular functions. Male pubertal rats (40 days old) were immobilized 6 h per day for 15 days. Plasma concentrations of corticosterone, prolactin and testosterone were significantly augmented following immobilization, whereas plasma luteinizing hormone decreased and follicle-stimulating hormone was not altered. Acute immobilization (5 min) increased prolactin and testosterone levels in control rats but caused a significantly higher increase in these hormones when superimposed on chronic stress. A lower extent of testicular maturation was observed in pubertal rats immobilized from prepuberty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Petenusci
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Franci
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rosa e Silva
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007103:Immobilization / Q000502:physiology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone