Short-day exposure eliminates the LH response to naloxone in golden hamsters

Short-day-induced testicular regression in golden hamsters is accompanied by changes in opiatergic control of LH release. Serum LH in long-day-exposed hamsters is elevated by subcutaneous injections of naloxone. By day 42 of short-day exposure, naloxone is unable to stimulate LH secretion; responsiveness to naloxone is restored after reexposure to long days. The change in response to naloxone may reflect a loss of opiate regulation of LH release; an alternative, but not mutually exclusive, hypothesis is that additional opiate-independent mechanisms inhibit LH despite the blockade of opiate LH inhibition by naloxone.