title: New data concerning the control by the adrenals of sexual receptivity in the rat.
abstract: The proportion of receptive females during the night from proestrus to estrus (mating frequency) was estimated in 4-day cyclic rats ovariectomized at different times of the day of proestrus. A sharp decrease in mating frequency occurred in females ovariectomized at 15:00-16:00 as compared with intact animals. A slighter, although significant decrease in mating frequency, was observed in females ovariectomized at 8:00-9:00 and 13:00-14:00. Sexual receptivity was only partially recovered following ovariectomy at 17:30-18:30. Chronic adrenalectomy completely prevented estrous receptivity in females ovariectomized at any time of proestrus as compared to adrenalectomized nonovariectomized females which displayed a normal estrous receptivity during the night from proestrus to estrus. A higher blood progesterone level was observed in receptive rats between 15:00 and 16:00 than in nonreceptive ones. The temporal relationships between the ovary and the adrenals in the control of estrous receptivity were discussed in the light of these observations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Histologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plas-Roser
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aron
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone