Abstract
Summary
Mature virgin female rats were injected subcutaneously with 10 μg estradiol daily for 10 days to produce mammary lobule-alveolar development. For the following 5 days, all except 10 controls were electrically stimulated twice daliy for periods of 30 seconds on head, lumbar region, nasal mucosa and nipples. Control rats showed regression of the mammary glands to a bare duct system and no secretion, whereas almost all of the electrically stimulated rats showed variable degrees of mammary secretion and maintenance of lobule-alveolar structure. Adrenal cortical stimulation in all electrically-stimulated groups was indicated by significant decreases in thymus weight. It is concluded that electrical stimulation of these areas in the rat induces release of both prolactin and ACTH, probably through autonomic and CNS pathways.
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