DECREASED SPERMATOGENIC AND ANDROGENIC TESTICULAR FUNCTIONS IN ADULT RATS SUBMITTED TO IMMOBILIZATION-INDUCED STRESS FROM PREPUBERTY

We investigated whether chronic stress applied from prepuberty to full sexual maturity interferes with spermatogenic and androgenic testicul ar functions. Male Wistar rats (40 days old) were immobilized 6 h a da y for 60 days. Following immobilization, plasma concentrations of cort icosterone and prolactin increased 135% and 48%, respectively, while p lasma luteinizing hormone and testosterone presented a significant dec rease of 29% and 37%, respectively. Plasma concentration of follicle-s timulating hormone was not altered in stressed rats. Chronic stress re duced the amount of mature spermatids in the testis by 16% and the spe rmatozoon concentration in the cauda epididymidis by 32%. A 17% reduct ion in weight and a 42% decrease in DNA content were observed in the s eminal vesicle of immobilized rats but not in its fructose content. Th e growth and secretory activity of the ventral prostate were not alter ed by chronic stress.