抄録
Stereotaxic placement of bilateral electrolytic lesions in the anterior hypothalamus was carried out in adult female Wistar rats. Daily vaginal smears were taken from the 15th day after operation and those showing persistent vaginal estrus for more than 3 weeks were exposed to stress by making a croton oil pouch under the back skin. Sacrifices were performed 7 days later. If the medial preoptic area was destructed, rats exhibited persistent vaginal cornification and formed corpora lutea in their ovaries following exposure to stress, but when both the medial preoptic area and the suprachiasmatic nuclei were destroyed, animals likewise came into persistent estrus but failed to develop corpora lutea in their ovaries in response to similar stress. Following destruction of the lateral preoptic area, rats showed either persistent diestrus or vaginal estrous cycles. These findings suggest that the preoptic-suprachiasmatic region of the hypothalamus, especially the suprachiasmatic nuclei, is involved in luteinization of ovaries in persistent-estrous rats following exposure to stressful stimuli.
