Evidence for direct neural control of ovarian steroidogenesis in rats

Electrical stimulation of the superior ovarian nerve of intact anaesthetized dioestrous rats for 30 min reduced ovarian progesterone levels, even when papaverine and propranolol were also given. The administration of phentolamine (an alpha receptor antagonist) before stimulation reversed this effect. The results suggest that a neural control of ovarian steroidogenesis may be either excitatory through the stimulation of beta receptors or inhibitory through the stimulation of alpha receptors.