Influence of neonatally administered dehydroepiandrosterone on reproduction of rats

Male and female rats were injected with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) from day 2 after birth to day 12 on alternate days. The inhibition of the growth of testes, seminal vesicles, adrenal glands and pituitary was found immediately after cessation of treatment. When adult, the neonatally DHEA treated males showed diminished copulatory activity. In contrast, no impairment of sexual behaviour could be found in females. However, neonatal DHEA treatment resulted in a dose dependent impairment of cyclicity in the females, accompanied by sub- or infertility. These findings suggest that DHEA shows some dissociation between its organizing influence on gonadotropin secretion and sexual behaviour.