Temporal Relationship of Spontaneous and Coitus—Induced Release of Luteinizing Hormone in the Normal Cyclic Rat1

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Abstract
Changes in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), as measured by radioimmunoassay, were studied in cyclic unmated and mated female rats maintained on a “modified” lighting schedule (lights on midnight to 2 PM). In unmated animals the "critical period" for LH release occurred 3–5 hr prior to the onset of the dark cycle, a time comparable to that observed in the conventional light—dark cycle (lights on 5 AM to 7 PM). A significant increase in LH concentration was observed in mated animals throughout the major portion of behavioral receptivity. Plasma LH was elevated within 10 min following cessation of mating, reached a maximum at 15–30 min and remained elevated during the next hour. In addition, LH values for the high lordosis group were significantly higher than the values for the control unmated and low lordosis groups. When rats were mated during the time that plasma LH was declining from the proestrus peak, mating prevented the decline in LH which occurred in the controls. The results indicate that coitus can stimulate LH release in the female rat and that the response is related to the intensity of the female sexual behavior.(Endocrinology92: 1748, 1973)

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