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Chronic immobilization‐induced stress increases plasma testosterone and delays testicular maturation in pubertal rats
Author(s) -
Almeida S. A.,
Petenusci S. O.,
Franci J. A. Anselmo,
Silva A. A. M. Rosa e,
Carvalho T. L. Lamano
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2000.tb02858.x
Subject(s) - prepuberty , medicine , endocrinology , prolactin , testosterone (patch) , luteinizing hormone , hormone , corticosterone , follicle stimulating hormone , delayed puberty , chemistry
Summary. 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.