STRESS-RELATED DISTURBANCES OF THE MENSTRUAL-CYCLE

Stress is a common cause of hypothalamic amenorrhoea. In our laborator y, we have studied the effects of an inflammatory-like stress on gonad otropin secretion and on the menstrual cycle in a nonhuman primate mod el. In this short review, we summarize some of our findings regarding the mechanisms whereby stress induces disturbances of reproductive fun ction. Our data indicate that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, through the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone and vasopressi n, plays a mediatory role. One type of action is exerted through a cen tral process resulting in the inhibition of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone pulse generator. The other type is mediated by a peripheral p athway stimulatory to gonadotropin secretion. Activation of one or the other pathway is determined by the ovarian endocrine milieu. Both act ions presumably result in deleterious effects on the menstrual cycle.