STUDIES ON SUPRARENAL INSUFFICIENCY

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Abstract
Of 28 doubly suprarenalectomized rats which were exposed to [male][male] 15 became pregnant and 13 had normal litters. Of these 11 were found to have gross accessory cortical tissue. Of those that did not become pregnant 6 died of suprarenal insufficiency and 3 of the survivors had gross accessory cortical tissue. Control operations did not disturb the oestrous cycles. Forty-one rats were studied by the vaginal smear method both before and after double suprarenalectomy. In 16 out of 23 rats which died of acute or subacute insufficiency there was practically complete inhibition of oestrous after operation. In 6 out of 8 which died of chronic insufficiency there was marked prolongation of the dioestrous pauses. In 8 out of 10 rats which survived until they were killed 3-4 mos. after operation, there was no serious disturbance of the cycles. Seven of these had gross accessory cortical tissue. The use of a vital dye selective for the corpora lutea showed that persistent dioestrous after suprarenalectomy is due to suspension of ovulation. Weight changes indicating a disturbance of metabolism after operation are correlated with the oestrous history. Temperature changes after operation are not sufficient to account for the disturbance in the cycles. It is concluded that suprarenal insufficiency in rats results in partial or complete inhibition of oestrous, the degree of disturbance being correlated with the severity of the insufficiency. It is suggested that the relationship between the functioning of the suprarenal glands and the gonads is not direct but that it is indirect through the mediation of other factors, probably metabolic in nature.

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