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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · sheep · 2017

4 results

A reduction in long-term spatial memory persists after discontinuation of peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment in sheep.

Hough D, Bellingham M, Haraldsen IR, McLaughlin M, Robinson JE, Solbakk AK, Evans NP

Psychoneuroendocrinology30 Nov 2016Cited by 19 (Europe PMC)

PMID27987429 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC5333793 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.029 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-27987429
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Summary

Chronic gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) administration is used where suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity is beneficial, such as steroid-dependent cancers, early onset gender dysphoria, central precocious puberty and as a reversible contraceptive in veterinary medicine. GnRH receptors, however, are expressed outside the reproductive axis, e.g. brain areas such as the hippocampus which is crucial for learning and memory processes. Previous work, using an ovine model, has demonstrated that long-term spatial memory is reduced in adult rams (45 weeks of age), following peripubertal blockade of GnRH signaling (GnRHa: goserelin acetate), and this was independent of the associated loss of gonadal steroid signaling. The current study investigated whether this effect is reversed after discontinuation of GnRHa-treatment. The results demonstrate that peripubertal GnRHa-treatment suppressed reproductive function in rams, which was restored after cessation of GnRHa-treatment at 44 weeks of age, as indicated by similar testes size (relative to body weight) in both GnRHa-Recovery and Control rams at 81 weeks of age. Rams in which GnRHa-treatment was discontinued (GnRHa-Recovery) had comparable spatial maze traverse times to Controls, during spatial orientation and learning assessments at 85 and 99 weeks of age. Former GnRHa-treatment altered how quickly the rams progressed beyond a specific point in the spatial maze at 83 and 99 weeks of age, and the direction of this effect depended on gonadal steroid exposure, i.e. GnRHa-Recovery rams progressed quicker during breeding season and slower during non-breeding season, compared to Controls. The long-term spatial memory performance of GnRHa-Recovery rams remained reduced (P<0.05, 1.5-fold slower) after discontinuation of GnRHa, compared to Controls. This result suggests that the time at which puberty normally occurs may represent a critical period of hippocampal plasticity. Perturbing normal hippocampal formation in this peripubertal period may also have long lasting effects on other brain areas and aspects of cognitive function.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In rams, goserelin suppressed reproductive function, which recovered after cessation at 44 weeks, with similar relative testes size to controls at 81 weeks.

    In plain wordsIn rams, goserelin suppressed reproduction, which recovered after treatment stopped, with relative testes size similar to controls.

    Peptide
    Goserelin
    Outcome
    MixedReproductive function suppression and recovery
    Study

    sheepn: not reported in source

    Rams after peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment
    Comparator
    Control rams
    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Reproductive and sexual health
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The results demonstrate that peripubertal GnRHa-treatment suppressed reproductive function in rams, which was restored after cessation of GnRHa-treatment at 44 weeks of age, as indicated by similar testes size (relative to body weight) in both GnRHa-Recovery and Control rams at 81 weeks of age.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The current study investigated whether this effect is reversed after discontinuation of GnRHa-treatment.
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In rams after goserelin cessation, spatial maze traverse times during orientation and learning were comparable to controls at 85 and 99 weeks.

    In plain wordsIn rams after goserelin stopped, maze times during orientation and learning were comparable to controls.

    Peptide
    Goserelin
    Outcome
    No significant changeSpatial orientation and learning traverse times
    Study

    sheepn: not reported in source

    Rams after peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment
    Comparator
    Control rams
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Rams in which GnRHa-treatment was discontinued (GnRHa-Recovery) had comparable spatial maze traverse times to Controls, during spatial orientation and learning assessments at 85 and 99 weeks of age.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The current study investigated whether this effect is reversed after discontinuation of GnRHa-treatment.
  3. 03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In rams after goserelin cessation, maze progression was quicker during breeding season and slower during non-breeding season than controls at 83 and 99 weeks.

    In plain wordsIn rams after goserelin stopped, maze progression was quicker during breeding season and slower outside breeding season than controls.

    Peptide
    Goserelin
    Outcome
    MixedMaze progression by breeding season
    Study

    sheepn: not reported in source

    Rams after peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment
    Comparator
    Control rams
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Former GnRHa-treatment altered how quickly the rams progressed beyond a specific point in the spatial maze at 83 and 99 weeks of age, and the direction of this effect depended on gonadal steroid exposure, i.e. GnRHa-Recovery rams progressed quicker during breeding season and slower during non-breeding season, compared to Controls.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The current study investigated whether this effect is reversed after discontinuation of GnRHa-treatment.
  4. 04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In rams after goserelin cessation, long-term spatial memory remained impaired versus controls, with 1.5-fold slower performance (P<0.05).

    In plain wordsIn rams after goserelin stopped, long-term spatial memory remained worse than controls.

    Peptide
    Goserelin
    Outcome
    DecreaseLong-term spatial memory
    Study

    sheepn: not reported in source

    Rams after peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment
    Comparator
    Control rams
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Performance slowing
    1.5 fold
    versus controls; P<0.05

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The long-term spatial memory performance of GnRHa-Recovery rams remained reduced (P<0.05, 1.5-fold slower) after discontinuation of GnRHa, compared to Controls.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The current study investigated whether this effect is reversed after discontinuation of GnRHa-treatment.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    28 Oct 2026, 02:03 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    27 Oct 2026, 16:35 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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