Interactions between estradiol and the autonomic nervous system

Abstract

This mini-review article introduces our recent studies of the interactions between estradiol and the autonomic nervous system. Ovarian estradiol secretion is hormonally controlled in a cyclic manner by a hierarchical feedback mechanism consisting of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis after puberty. In addition to this hormonal regulation of the ovary, ovarian autonomic innervation, particularly that of the sympathetic nerve, regulates ovarian hormonal secretion. We examined the effects of long-term estradiol treatment on the sympathetic regulation of ovarian estradiol secretion. The ovarian estradiol secretion rate was not significantly changed by sympathetic nerve stimulation in saline-treated rats; however, it was markedly decreased by sympathetic nerve stimulation in estradiol-treated rats. This suggests that chronic estradiol treatment augments sympathetic inhibition of ovarian estradiol secretion, perhaps by inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.