Stress-Response

Chronic Stress Response: Reproduction

• chronic stress can inhibit sex behavior, sexual desire and reproductive physiology

• Ex. stress of social subordination

  • a high-ranking female monkey can ensure that she is the only member of her group to reproduce by physically harassing subordinates into anovulation
  • in males, exposure to multiple defeat experiences in social interactions can suppress testosterone secretion

• mechanism?

  • HYPOTHALAMUS: CRH and B-endorphin (released within the brain during stress) can inhibit release of GnRH
  • PITUITARY: glucocorticoids act at the pituitary to decrease responsiveness to GnRH (fewer receptors); as a result, less LH and FSH will be secreted
  • GONAD: glucocorticoids act at the level of the gonad to decrease responsiveness to LH and FSH (fewer receptors); as a result, lower levels of gonadal steroids will be secreted

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