Pre- and postpubertal LH and estradiol pattern in gilts subjected to intermittent inescapable electroshock

The effect of intermittent electroshock on LH and estradiol secretory pattern and on reaching puberty was studied in 24 prepubertal gilts. Twelve gilts 115-168 days of age received unpredictable and inescapable electroshocks 0-5 times daily between 8 am and 4 pm and 12 gilts served as controls. At an age of 168 +/- 0.7 days all gilts were moved, regrouped and exposed to a boar for 30 min. Observations for signs of oestrus were carried out twice daily. Indwelling jugular catheters were inserted into 8 gilts on each treatment after the initial boar contact. Blood samples were collected to determine LH profiles for 4 h every 15 min on day 2 and day 4 after the initial boar contact. The remaining 4 gilts on each treatment were catheterized one day prior to the initial boar contact and blood was collected to determine LH profiles the day before initial boar contact and day 1 and day 2 after initial boar contact for 6 h every 15 min. In addition, blood samples were collected and analyzed for LH and estradiol from all gilts daily at 8 am, 12 am and 4 pm for the first 3 days following the initial boar contact and thereafter every 4 h until the end of oestrus (diurnal samples). Samples taken daily at noon the first 5 days following initial boar contact were analyzed for cortisol. The electroshock treatment significantly increased the age at puberty (p = 0.04) and tended to decrease the mean LH concentration prior to the preovulatory LH surge (p = 0.08) and the maximal concentration of LH during the preovulatory LH surge (p = 0.07). The apparent down regulation of the plasma concentration of LH was not associated with increased activity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in that the basal concentration of cortisol was not affected by treatment. This indicates that other physiological mechanisms are involved in stress-induced suppression of LH.