Suppression of serum gonadal steroids in rats by chronic treatment with dopamine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors

The impact of chronic administration (3 weeks) of dopamine and serotonin re uptake inhibitors on serum gonadal steroid hormones and prolactin was studi ed in intact male and female rats. Both the dopamine and the serotonin reup take inhibitors lowered serum estradiol and progesterone levels in the fema le rats. The dopamine transporter blockers suppressed testosterone serum le vels in the male rats, whereas serotonin reuptake inhibitors induced only a non-significant reduction (30%) of this hormone. In contrast to the decrea se in gonadal steroids, none of the serotonin or the dopamine reuptake bloc kers altered prolactin serum levels in either the male or female rats. It s eems that the effect of these agents on ovarian and testicular hormones is related to the impact of the monoamine reuptake inhibitors on the hypothala mic-pituitary-gonadal axis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.