Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 58, 488-491, Copyright © 1984 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and thyrotropin-releasing hormone in the hypothalamus of women: effects of age and reproductive status

CR Parker Jr and JC Porter

In the study of the effects of age and reproductive status on LHRH and TRH content in the hypothalamus of women, we found that the amount of LHRH (58 +/- 5.5 ng; mean +/- SE) in the hypothalamus of young women (16-29 yr) was significantly greater (P less than 0.001) than that (28 +/- 3.0 ng) in postmenopausal women (50-78 yr). The hypothalamic content of LHRH (18 +/- 2.4 ng) of bilaterally ovariectomized women (39- 47 yr) was significantly less (P less than 0.001) than that (60 +/- 12.6 ng) in younger ovulatory women (30-39 yr) or that (56 +/- 13.5 ng) in ovulatory women of comparable age (40-49 yr). In contrast, the hypothalamic content of TRH (121.4 +/- 32.8 ng) in postmenopausal women were similar to that (122.3 +/- 12.5 ng) in young women. Although aging in women is associated with a significant reduction in the amount of LHRH in the hypothalamus, such a reduction appears to be a consequence of ovarian failure and not of aging per se.

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				P. M. Wise Neuroendocrine modulation of the "menopause": insights into the aging brain Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, December 1, 1999; 277(6): E965 - E970. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]