Electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus and luteinizing hormone secretion in Japanese quail.

Experiments were undertaken to localize those hypothalamic areas in the male quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) where electrical stimulation would increase LH secretion. The posterior basal hypothalamus was stimulated with rectangular pulses (height 500 muA) through a bipolar electrode for 6 min, blood samples being taken for LH assay 20 min before, and 2, 10, 20 and 30 min after stimulation. The highest plasma concentration was observed in the 2 min sample. Over the next 30 min the LH level decreased to the resting concentration. The relative increase in LH level was greatest in sexually immature quail and least in photostimulated castrated birds, although the highest absolute levels were seen in the castrated quail. There were no statistical differences between the magnitude of the LH increases in sexually immature, mature and castrated quail. Various hypothalamic regions were then stimulated with a smaller current (200 muA) applied for only 2 min. A highly significant rise in LH followed stimulation of either the tuberal hypothalamus (postero-dorsal part of the infundibular nuclear complex, PD-INC), or the preoptic region (POR) while stimulation 0-5-1-5 mm away from these regions did not change LH secretion. Stimulation of the anterior basal hypothalamus, or of the suprachiasmatic area, caused a significant rise in LH concentration although this was less than that seen after stimulation of the POR. Stimulation in the POR or the PD-INC was ineffective if the tuberal hypothalamus had been deafferentated surgically some days previously. The data complement the studies in which destruction of the PD-INC or the POR by electrolytic lesions has been shown to block photoperiodically induced testicular growth and LH secretion.