Flurothyl-induced convulsions delay the onset of sexual maturation in the female rat.

We have investigated whether sexual maturation in female rats is affected by repeated flurothyl-induced convulsions. This treatment had no effect on the normal age-related increase in body weight though puberty (vaginal opening) was significantly delayed when compared with non-convulsed control rats. In an attempt to probe the mechanism of this delaying effect we observed that (1) anterior pituitary response to gonadotrophin releasing hormone in vitro was normal in terms of LH release but FSH secretion was impaired and (2) progesterone injection in oestrogen-primed convulsed rats failed to generate an ovulatory-type surge of LH or FSH. Basal serum levels and basal in-vitro secretion of LH and FSH were normal. We conclude that repeated convulsions adversely affect the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadotrophin system of immature female rats.