Progesterone modulation of pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion in normal women
Date
1984-02Author
Cohen, Nancy L.
Clifton, Donald K.
Bremner, William J.
Aksel, Sezer
Soules, Michael R.
Steiner, Robert A.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Recent studies show that the frequency and amplitude of pulsatile LH
secretion change during the normal human menstrual cycle; however, the
neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying these changes are poorly understood.
To assess the role of progesterone (P) in regulating LH secretion
patterns, we treated normal women (n = 5) with im P in oil during the
follicular phase of their cycle and compared LH pulse frequency,
amplitude, and mean plasma level during treatment to those in normal
cycling women. Normal women were studied five times in five menstrual
cycles. Each study lasted 24 h, with a sampling interval of 20 min. The
cycle phases studied were early follicular (twice), late follicular (LF),
midluteal, and LF with P therapy to simulate luteal phase plasma P levels.
LH pulse frequency was slower (P less than or equal to 0.001) in the
midluteal phase than in either the early follicular phase or LF, and
furthermore, P, administered in the normal follicular phase, slowed LH
pulse frequency, augmented pulse amplitude, and reduced mean plasma LH
levels compared to those in untreated women studied at the same cycle
phase (P less than or equal to 0.02). We infer that P secretion by the
ovary mediates the change in the LH secretory pattern during the luteal
phase of the normal menstrual cycle, and that at least part of this effect
is mediated by the central nervous system.