The participation of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LRH) in the process of sexual maturation.

Precious pubertal ovulation and premature steroid-induced gonadotropin surges were triggered in 23-day old rats by unilateral electrolytic lesions placed in the basal hypothalamus. Attempts were made to reproduce both aspects of precocious sexual maturation by repeated injections or prolonged infusion of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LRH) or by repeated administration of the potent and long-acting analog (D-Leu6, des-Gly-NH2(10))-LRH-ethylamide. Neither effect of the brain lesion was reproduced by LRH or its analog. It is concluded that brain lesions advance puberty in this species by mechanisms not involving the discharge of LRH. The role of the adrenal cortex in providing estrogen precursors required for the induction of ovarian gonadotropin receptors is discussed.