MARIHUANA AND MALE NEUROENDOCRINE AND SEXUAL FUNCTIONS

我们正在研究大麻对男性内分泌、生殖 性功能。 我们的目标是确定 大麻的精神活性和非精神活性成分 垂体，睾丸和男性性行为，并确定 这些影响的机制。 在接下来的四年里，我们将 δ-9-四氢大麻酚（THC）对男性作用机制 交配行为和研究围产期或成人的影响 THC，大麻酚（CBN）和大麻二酚（CBD）的施用 下丘脑和垂体功能。 更具体地说，我们将测试 假设神经递质介导的释放的改变 促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）是负责的影响， 四氢大麻酚对性行为的影响。 我们亦会研究THC、CBN及 CBD对下丘脑儿茶酚胺能神经元功能的影响 已知其控制促性腺激素和催乳素从 前叶 这些研究将在雄性大鼠和小鼠中进行 并且将包括口服施用大麻的不同组分， 下丘脑的水平和周转率的测量 神经递质，下丘脑和前垂体的孵化， 垂体促性腺激素释放激素受体测定及放射免疫分析 测量垂体和睾丸激素的血液水平。 交配行为将在卵巢切除的 雌激素和孕激素使雌性进入性接受状态 注射剂 进一步的研究将涉及给予阻滞剂， 下丘脑神经递质的前体，试图模仿或 防止大麻素对行为和垂体功能的影响， 脑内特定部位的切割、损伤和刺激， 定位大麻素作用的位点和 他们的影响。

We are studying the effects of marihuana on male endocrine, reproductive and sexual functions. Our objective is to define the effects of psychoactive and non-psychoactive constituents of marihuana on the pituitary, the testes and on male sexual behavior and to determine the mechanisms of these effects. During the next four years, we will address the mechanism of action of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on male copulatory behavior and study the effects of perinatal or adult administration of THC, cannabinol (CBN) and cannabidiol (CBD) on hypothalamic and pituitary function. More specifically, we will test our hypothesis that the neurotransmitter-mediated alterations in the release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) are responsible for the effects of THC on sexual behavior. We will also examine the effects of THC, CBN and CBD on the function of hypothalamic catecholaminergic neurons which are known to control the release of gonadotropins and prolactin from the anterior pituitary. These studies will be conducted in male rats and mice and will involve oral administration of different components of marihuana, measurements of levels and turnover rates of hypothalamic neurotransmitters, incubations of hypothalami and anterior pituitaries, determinations of GnRH receptors in the pituitary and radioimmunoassay measurements of blood levels of pituitary and testicular hormones. Copulatory behavior will be tested in the presence of ovariectomized females brought into sexual receptivity by estrogen and progesterone injections. Further studies will involve administration of blockers and precursors of hypothalamic neurotransmitters in an attempt to mimic or prevent cannabinoid effects on behavior and pituitary function as well as cuts, lesions and stimulations of specific sites in the brain aimed at localizing the sites of cannabinoid action and the anatomical pathways of their effects.