The effect of lighting conditions on plasma levels of gonadotropins in castrated male rats.

Plasma levels of LH and FSH were measured in castrated male rats kept in a 12/12 h light/dark cycle (control lighting), continuous light or continuous darkness. In Experiment I, the animals were kept in the three illumination conditions for 5 weeks. They were then decapitated for blood collection. In Experiment II, the blood samples were collected daily via permanently implanted aortic cannulae after 7 days of adaptation to the experimental lighting condition. In both experiments, the plasma levels of LH and FSH were higher in the rats kept in continuous light than in those kept in control conditions. After exposure to darkness for 5 weeks, the gonadotropin levels did not differ from the control values. In Experiment II, the levels of FSH were lower in darkness than in the control lighting, but the levels of LH did not change.