The overall goals of the proposed research are to determine the changes that occur in the brain during reproductive aging and to reveal the underlying mechanisms that cause a gradual decline in the regularity of the estrous cycle which is followed by a complete cessation of cyclicity in the middle-aged female rat. The central hypothesis to be tested is that while circulating estradiol levels are normal or slightly elevated in the middle-aged animals, the steroid signal does not reach the GnRH neurons which leads to a low preovulatory LH surge and to an irregular length of the estrous cycle. The present proposal focuses on the glutamatergic and noradrenergic neurotransmitter systems which have in common that they stimulate GnRH release, they are, at least in part regulated by estradiol and their activity or effectiveness are decreased in the middle-aged rat. In addition, the role of estradiol in the generation of the neuroendocrine changes associated with reproductive aging will be examined. Specifically it is proposed:
Aim 1 : to test the hypothesis that glutamate release and/or responsiveness to glutamatergic stimulation decreases during reproductive senescence;
Aim 2 : to test the hypothesis that the responsiveness of GnRH neurons to noradrenergic stimulation decreases during reproductive senescence;
Aim 3 : to test the hypothesis that life-long exposure to physiological levels of estradiol causes the malfunction in the glutamatergic and noradrenergic regulation of GnRH neurons that become apparent during reproductive senescence. The proposed studies will provide comprehensive information on the changes that occur in the regulatory input to the GnRH neurons during reproductive aging and will determine if estradiol causes these changes. A detailed knowledge of these events will help to identify some of the basic mechanisms which underlie the inappropriate interactions between the brain and the ovaries and may provide clues for treatment of disorders that are caused by a central failure to maintain adequate GnRH release.
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