Role of the subfornical organ (SFO) in the control of gonadotropin secretion

Radiofrequency lesions have been placed in the subfornical organ (SFO) or normally cycling and of long-term castrated female rats. The data have shown that, in normal female rats, SFO lesions bring about a disruption of estrous cyclicity in a large number of animals, the majority of which enter a state of prolonged diestrus. In these animals, serum gonadotropin levels are similar to those of regularly cycling animals in the second day of diestrus. In the animals in which estrous cyclicity was still present, an LH surge occurred which was regular in timing and magnitude. On the contrary the proestrous FSH surge was absent, but the usual FSH elevation of the day of estrus was present. SFO lesions were not able to change the high gonadotropin levels typical of the post-castration situation. These results suggest that the SFO may play a role in the control of the "cyclic" but not of the "tonic" release of the two gonadotropins. In particular, it appears from the results that the SFO might be involved in the regulation of the hypersecretion of FSH which occurs during the day of proestrus.