the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (hpa) axis is a critical adaptive system that maximizes survival potential in the face of physical or psychological challenge. the principal end products of the hpa axis, glucocorticoid hormones, act on multiple organ systems, including the brain, to maintain homeostatic balance. the brain is a target of stress, and the hippocampus is the first brain reg...

Although there have been few demonstrations of a direct empirical relationship between environmental enrichment and reproductive success in captive animals, indirect and anecdotal evidence indicates the importance of physical and temporal complexity for reproduction. We discuss three major mechanisms through which environmental enrichment that specifically increases the complexity of an animal'...

There exists a reciprocal relationship between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes, wherein the activation of one affects the function of the other and vice versa. For example, both testosterone and oestrogen modulate the response of the HPA axis, whereas activation of the stress axis, especially activation that is repeating or chronic, has...

The rapid and temporary suppression of reproductive behavior is often assumed to be an important feature of the adaptive acute stress response. However, how this suppression operates at the mechanistic level is poorly understood. The enzyme aromatase converts testosterone to estradiol in the brain to activate reproductive behavior in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). The discovery of rap...

objective(s):the present study was undertaken to determine the effects of acute exposure to malathion on oxidative stress and cytotoxic potential of anticholinesterase insecticide, malathion in reproductive toxicology of adolescent male mice. materials and methods: thirty two adolescent male mice at pubertal age were treated with 500 mg/kg body weight (bw) of malathion for three days. after exp...

THE IDEA that by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, stress and overt or latent psychological disturbances have the potential of inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis has been circulated for a long time (1). It is generally thought that, if severe enough, this condition may lead to the suppression of the normal menstrual cycle in a syndrome referred to a...

The subjective experience of stress leads to reproductive dysfunction in many species, including rodents and humans. Stress effects on reproduction result from multilevel interactions between the hormonal stress response system, i.e., the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the hormonal reproductive system, i.e., the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. A novel negative regulat...

The traditional herbal medicine, Hochu-ekki-to, has been shown to have preventive effects on viral infection and stress. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of Hochu-ekki-to on two stress-related rat models of polycystic ovarian syndrome. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and treatment groups, the latter of which were subjected to stress induced by exposure to a...

Male reproductive health has deteriorated considerably in the last few decades. Nutritional, socioeconomic, lifestyle and environmental factors (among others) have been attributed to compromising male reproductive health. In recent years, a large volume of evidence has accumulated that suggests that the trend of decreasing male fertility (in terms of sperm count, quality and other changes in ma...