[Effect of proserine on the levels of steroid hormones in cows].

Stimulation of cholinergic processes by neostigmine methylsulfate results in a reliable increase of the progesterone and estradiol content in blood of cows 11-15 days after calving. In the case of hypertrophy of ovaries increase of the progesterone content is not followed by an increase of estradiol content that, apparently, decreases the content of luteohormones. In animals with high content of progesterone with persistent yellow body of ovaries the injection of neostigmine methylsulfate decreases the content of this hormone and with follicular cysts of ovaries the low content of progesterone increases. Hence, intensification of cholinergic processes normalizes the content of sexual hormones. The known trophic function of progesterone appears to be one of the manifestations of common protective-trophic function of the nervous system performed by the cholinergic processes. Therefore, the progesterone effect can be regarded as a starting one in the neurotrophic regulation of sexual hormones.