Lessons from experimental disruption of estrous cycles and behaviors.
In female mammals reproduction is highly sensitive to the food supply. During lean times, females suspend reproductive attempts in favor of maintaining processes necessary for survival; fertility is restored once the food supply is again abundant. Nearly all aspects of reproduction are affected, including puberty, adult ovulatory cycles, and reproductive behaviors. Work with experimental animals reveals that caloric restriction inhibits release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and female sexual behavior via similar, although separate, processes. The primary metabolic event affecting LH release as well as female sexual behavior is the short-term (minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour) availability of oxidizable metabolic fuels, rather than any aspect of body size or composition (e.g., body fat content). Metabolic fuel availability is detected in the hindbrain and perhaps in peripheral tissues. Metabolic information is then transmitted synaptically from the visceral hindbrain to the forebrain effector circuits. In the forebrain, signaling via corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors appears to be crucial for inhibition of both LH secretion and female sexual behavior.
Wade
George N
GN
Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. gwade@cns.umass.edu
Jones
Juli E
JE
D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000502:physiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior
D007986:Luteinizing Hormone