[Effect of neonatal gonadectomy on peripheral corticosterone metabolism in rats]

Disappearance of plasma corticosterone after psychic aggression in the prepubertal Rat (25 days) is carried out in a similar manner in the two sexes. At this age, neonatal gonadectomy declined the rate of disappearance. In the adult Rat (60 days) disappearance of plasma corticosterone proceeds more rapidly in females than in males; neonatal gonadectomy abolishes this sex difference. It appears that ovariectomy, contrarily to orchidectomy, decreases the rate of disappearance. Moreover, our results put forward an increased sensitivity of the feedback mechanism corticosterone ACTH during growth.