Ottenweller J E, Tapp W N, Creighton D, Natelson B H
Primate Neurobehavioral Unit, VA Medical Center, East Orange.
J Gerontol. 1988 Nov;43(6):M175-80. doi: 10.1093/geronj/43.6.m175.
The effects of old age, chronic disease, and stress on testicular function were examined in Syrian hamsters living on a 12-hr photoperiod. Plasma testosterone concentrations and testes weights were maintained in healthy hamsters 16-19 months of age, but chronic stress decreased plasma testosterone in these old hamsters and not in younger ones (8-11 months of age). Chronic disease in the form of congestive heart failure (CHF) in cardiomyopathic hamsters also decreased plasma testosterone and testes weights, although it is not clear what aspects of this disease affected testicular function. There was an interaction between disease and stress, in that chronic stress produced lower plasma testosterone and testes weights in hamsters with heart failure than in age-matched stressed, healthy hamsters. It appears that younger hamsters can maintain reproductive function during stress, but older ones may not be able to do so. Congestive heart failure in hamsters clearly impairs normal reproductive function by itself; it also makes them more susceptible to stress, so that combining stress and disease results in almost complete suppression of plasma testosterone levels.
在12小时光照周期下生活的叙利亚仓鼠中，研究了衰老、慢性疾病和应激对睾丸功能的影响。16 - 19月龄的健康仓鼠血浆睾酮浓度和睾丸重量保持稳定，但慢性应激会降低这些老年仓鼠的血浆睾酮水平，而对年轻仓鼠（8 - 11月龄）则无此影响。患有扩张型心肌病的仓鼠出现充血性心力衰竭（CHF）这种慢性疾病时，血浆睾酮和睾丸重量也会降低，不过尚不清楚该疾病的哪些方面影响了睾丸功能。疾病和应激之间存在相互作用，即慢性应激使患有心力衰竭的仓鼠血浆睾酮水平和睾丸重量比年龄匹配的应激状态下的健康仓鼠更低。似乎年轻仓鼠在应激期间能够维持生殖功能，而老年仓鼠可能无法做到。仓鼠的充血性心力衰竭本身显然会损害正常生殖功能；它还使仓鼠更容易受到应激影响，因此应激和疾病共同作用几乎会完全抑制血浆睾酮水平。
