Estradiol increases dopamine turnover in intermediate and posterior pituitary lobes of ovariectomized rats

Dopamine levels were specifically increased in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland of ovariectomized rats following acute 17-beta-estradiol administration. Estradiol treatment increased the dopamine turnover rate 10-fold in the intermediate lobe and 2-fold in the posterior lobe of ovariectomized rats. In contrast, estrogen treatment had no effect on the endogenous levels or the turnover rate of norepinephrine in these tissues. Our results suggest that estrogens can selectively modulate dopamine metabolism in the posterior and intermediate lobes of the rat pituitary gland.