Spermatogenesis of rat: effect of central norepinephrine synthesis inhibition by diethyldithiocarbamate.

Spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis of male Wistar rats under the influence of a decreased central NE level was studied. Inhibition of NE synthesis was produced by chronic injection (7 days) of DDC, a Dopamine hydroxylase blocker, which decreased brain NE, increased brain DA without significantly affecting brain 5-HT. Rats were sacrificed on the day after cessation of treatment (8th day) and after an interval of 13 days following the cessation of treatment (21st day). The time interval of 13 days is equivalent to one cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in Wistar strain rats. A degenerative change (reduced spermatid count) in the spermatogenic pattern at stage-VII of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium was observed in the rats sacrificed on the 8th day, the degeneration being much greater in the rats sacrificed on the 21st day. Rats sacrificed on the day after cessation of DDC treatment revealed an inhibition of plasma testosterone level. Such change was not observed in the rats sacrificed after the interval of 13 days following DDC treatment. Human chorionic gonadotropin supplementation in the rats sacrificed on the 21st day partially restored the spermatogenesis towards the vehicle treated control. The inhibition of spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis reflects a decrease in the pituitary gonadotropin secretion under the influence of a decreased NE synthesis in brain, following chronic treatment of DDC.