The Role of Kisspeptin in the Onset of Puberty and in the Ovulatory Mechanism: A Mini-review

Morphine inhibition of the preovulatory surges of plasma luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone in the rat

Pang CN et al., 1977·Endocrinology

A study was made of the effects on the preovulatory surges of LH and FSH exerted by morphine sulfate (M) administered at 1400 h on proestrus, the beginning of the critical period for gonadotropin release in cycling rats in our colony. Various doses of M were given ip and jugular venous blood was collected under ether anesthesia for radioimmunoassay of plasma levels of LH and FSH. To verify ovulation, oviducts were examined the following day for the presence of ova. A high dose of M (60 mg/kg) totally abolished the LH surge and partially prevented the FSH surge while completely blocking ovulation. With intermediate doses of M (20-30 mg/kg) about half of the rats showed undiminished elevations of plasma LH at 1800 h and complete ovulation the next morning, whereas the other half revealed almost total blockade of LH release and no ovulation. Following a low dose of M (10 mg/kg) a small but significant (P < 0.05) augmentation of LH levels was observed in two of three experiments and all animals receiving this dose ovulated. Pretreatment with naloxone (10 mg/kg) did not itself affect LH or FSH release or ovulation but reversed the effect of the high dose of M and permitted complete ovulation. At 1800 h the pituitaries of control and Mblocked rats responded about equally to exogenous LHRH (100 ng iv) in 15 min increments of plasma LH and FSH and all of the rats ovulated. A timecourse study indicates that the onset of the LH surge may be somewhat delayed but the amplitude was undiminished following administration of a low dose of M. These findings indicate that M exerts dose-dependent effects on the preovulatory discharge of pituitary gonadotropins in the cycling rat.

Regarding Surgical Management of Superficial Peritoneal Adolescent Endometriosis by Laufer and Einarsson

Yeung PP Jr et al., 2020·J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol

Is There a Relationship between Mood Disorders and Dysmenorrhea?

Balık G et al., 2014·Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology

Menstrual problems are common among adolescent females. Mood changes are related to menstrual problems (menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, and abnormal menstrual cycle length). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between depressive symptoms, anxiety, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) with dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls. A total of 159 adolescent girls (aged 13-19 y) with regular menstrual cycles presenting to the gynecology clinic with any complaints were included in the study during April-May 2013. All of the participants filled up the sociodemographic data collection form, FACES Pain Rating Scale, Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), Beck depression inventory (BDI), and a questionnaire form on criteria for PMS. Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 67.9%. The mean BAI and BDI scores of the patients were 13.64 ± 12.81 and 11.88 ± 10.83, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between patients and control groups on the BAI and BDI scoring (P < .05). At least 1 of the symptoms of the PMS was detected in all of the participants and 29 (18.2%) of them were diagnosed as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The mean BAI score of the patients with PMS and PMDD were 9.65 ± 9.28 and 21.31 ± 15.75, respectively. The mean BDI score of the patients with PMS and PMDD were 8.39 ± 8.62 and 19.1 ± 11.85, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between PMS/PMDD and BAI/BDI scoring (P = .00). Adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea have an increased risk of depression and anxiety. These results of our study are significant in emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to primary dysmenorrhea follow-up and treatment.

Endocrine modulation of the adolescent brain: a review

Vigil P et al., 2011·J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol

Neurophysiological and behavioral development is particularly complex in adolescence. Youngsters experience strong emotions and impulsivity, reduced self-control, and preference for actions which offer immediate rewards, among other behavioral patterns. Given the growing interest in endocrine effects on adolescent central nervous system development and their implications on later stages of life, this article reviews the effects of gonadal steroid hormones on the adolescent brain. These effects are classified as organizational, the capacity of steroids to determine nervous system structure during development, and activational, the ability of steroids to modify nervous activity to promote certain behaviors. During transition from puberty to adolescence, steroid hormones trigger various organizational phenomena related to structural brain circuit remodelling, determining adult behavioral response to steroids or sensory stimuli. These changes account for most male-female sexual dimorphism. In this stage sex steroids are involved in the main functional mechanisms responsible for organizational changes, namely myelination, neural pruning, apoptosis, and dendritic spine remodelling, activated only during embryonic development and during the transition from puberty to adolescence. This stage becomes a critical organizational window when the appropriately and timely exerted functions of steroid hormones and their interaction with some neurotransmitters on adolescent brain development are fundamental. Thus, understanding the phenomena linking steroid hormones and adolescent brain organization is crucial in the study of teenage behavior and in later assessment and treatment of anxiety, mood disorders, and depression. Adolescent behavior clearly evidences a stage of brain development influenced for the most part by steroid hormones.