Detection of neural connection to the infundibular complex by partial or complete hypothalamic deafferentation in male quail.

To elucidate the stimulatory and inhibitory neural systems for photoperiodic control of avian reproduction, immature male Japanese quail were subjected to partial or complete hypothalamic deafferentation, followed by exposure to long and short photoperiods. The results indicated that when the encephalic photosensitive area (infundibular complex, INF) was preserved after hypothalamic deafferentation, birds were able to respond to long days and their gonads eventually recrudesced, and that testicular atrophy under short days was prevented by the semicircular cuts posterior to INF or by orbital enucleation. It is concluded that in male Japanese quail, INF plays the pivotal role in photoperiodic gonadostimulation and regulatory neurons in the retina and anterior hypothalamus may have neural connection to the posterior side of INF.