# NEUROENDOCRINE CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION IN THE FEMALE

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 1994 · $340,869

## Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the applicant's abstract):  The overall goal of
this continuing renewal application for Years 9-13 is to extend our
understanding of (a) the physiology of GnRH secretion in the normal
menstrual cycle; (b) the pathophysiology of reproductive failure; and (c)
the development of new techniques to evaluate the reproductive axis in the
human female.  It is now proposed to examine the neuroendocrine control of
the midcycle gonadotropin surge during its spontaneous appearance in normal
women with intact hypothalamic-pituitary axes, during estradiol and
progesterone evocation of gonadotropin surges in normal subjects, and in
GnRH deficient women whose regimen of exogenous GnRH administration can be
experimentally varied to actively test hypotheses derived from the
monitoring studies.  The neuroendocrine control of the luteal-follicular
transition will be examined in GnRH deficient women.  The contribution of
the abrupt increase in endogenous GnRH frequency previously described
during this transition to the relatively isolated rise in FSH secretion
occurring during this stage of the cycle will be explored.  Finally,
development will be continued of new techniques with which to examine
reproductive physiology in the human, including:  (a) the monitoring of
pulsatile secretion of the free alpha subunit of gonadotropins as an
alternative marker for endogenous GnRH secretion; (b) the use of a novel
FSH radioreceptor assay for categorization of various pathophysiologic
subsets of patients with premature ovarian failure; and (c) specific assays
for measurement and determination of the normal physiology of the large
molecular weight precursor forms of the alpha-subunit of inhibin and their
role in premature ovarian failure.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2197181
- **Project number:** 5R01HD015080-12
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FLJ7DQKLL226
- **Principal Investigator:** William Francis Crowley
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $340,869
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1987-04-01 → 1994-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2197181

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2197181, NEUROENDOCRINE CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION IN THE FEMALE (5R01HD015080-12). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2197181. Licensed CC0.

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