Masson-Pévet M, Pévet P, Vivien-Roels B
J Pineal Res. 1987;4(1):79-88. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.1987.tb00843.x.
The role of the pineal and of photoperiod in the regulation of gonadal activity has been studied in the European hamster, a wild hamster commonly found in the vicinity of Strasbourg, France. Besides the presence of a probable endogenous circannual rhythm in reproductive capacities, it appears that, as in all other hamster species studied to date, the sexual activity of this animal is directly regulated by changes in the photoperiodic environment. Pinealectomy as well as a constant release of melatonin or of 5-methoxytryptamine has no effect on the gonadal atrophy induced by short photoperiod, but induces testicular regression in animals kept under long photoperiod. The pineal in this species appears thus to be involved in the maintenance of sexual activity in long photoperiod, while it is apparently not required for the gonadal inhibitory effect of short photoperiod. These results are similar to those obtained in the Turkish hamster. 5-Methoxytryptophol is not implicated in the phenomenon of synchronization of the sexual activity with the photoperiodic changes.
松果体和光周期在调节性腺活动中的作用已在欧洲仓鼠中进行了研究，欧洲仓鼠是一种常见于法国斯特拉斯堡附近的野生仓鼠。除了生殖能力可能存在内源性年节律外，与迄今研究的所有其他仓鼠物种一样，这种动物的性活动似乎直接受光周期环境变化的调节。松果体切除以及持续释放褪黑素或5-甲氧基色胺对短光周期诱导的性腺萎缩没有影响，但会导致处于长光周期的动物睾丸退化。因此，该物种的松果体似乎参与了长光周期中性活动的维持，而短光周期的性腺抑制作用显然不需要松果体。这些结果与在土耳其仓鼠中获得的结果相似。5-甲氧基色醇与性活动与光周期变化同步的现象无关。
