NEUROENDOCRINE MEDIATION OF SOCIALLY INDUCED ANOVULATION

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Studies were completed assessing the consequences of psychosocial stress, resulting from social subordination, on metabolic, reproductive, and behavioral outcomes in adult female rhesus monkeys. In addition, the contribution of polymorphisms in the gene that encodes the serotonin reuptake transporter (5HTT) was evaluated as studies show individuals with one or both alleles of the short promoter length variant (s-variant) are more vulnerable to the adverse consequences of psychosocial stress than those homozygous for the long promoter length (l/l). During the final year, studies show that the reproductive compromise experienced by subordinate females is due to enhanced estradiol negative feedback inhibition of LH secretion but that this can be alleviated by access to a high caloric diet. Other studies use PET neuroimaging tested the hypotheses that GABAergic receptor subtype A would be diminished in subordinate s-variant females in brain regions associated with stress reactivity. All PET scans were completed in October 2010 and analyses are underway. Additional studies used automated feeders to quantify intake of standard low fat, high fiber monkey chow in socially housed females to better understand the metabolic deficits observed in subordinates. Activity levels, as a surrogate measure of energy expenditure were measured as well. Data indicate that subordinates, regardless of genotype, eat less of this diet than dominant animals but show similar amounts of activity. These studies provide insights into possible treatment strategies for women suffering from stress-induced infertility.