Less severe ovarian atrophy in hypophysectomized hemiovariectomized rats than in hypophysectomized animals with two ovaries.

The effect of unilateral ovariectomy (OVX) on the weight of the remaining ovary was studied in hypophysectomized (HYPOX) rats. 2 weeks following hypophysectomy + unilateral OVX the weight loss of the ovary is significantly less than that in HYPOX rats having two ovaries. Present data together with previous findings suggest that a neural pathway between the ovaries and the CNS may be involved in the mechanism of compensatory ovarian hypertrophy following removal of one ovary.