Activation of the Anterior Hypophysis by Electrical Stimulation in the Rabbit1

BOTH the nature and extent of neural control over most of the endocrine organs are poorly understood, the exceptions including the posterior lobe of the hypophysis and the epinephrine-secreting chromaffin tissue. In the former group is one of the most obvious examples of an effect of nerve stimuli upon an endocrine organ, namely, the release of luteinizing hormone from the anterior lobe of the hypophysis in the rabbit and certain other forms upon sexual excitement. The sources of sensory stimuli which activate the anterior lobe of the rabbit upon coitus have not been accurately determined. Fee and Parkes (1930) apparently first showed that ovulation in the rabbit does not depend purely upon genital stimulation, and similar results have been reported by others. As pointed out by Brooks (1937), it is possible that there may be many sensory and emotional pathways through which the ovulatory mechanism can be excited.