Effects of Protein Restriction, Melatonin Administration, and Short Daylength on Brain Benzodiazepine Receptors in Prepubertal Male Rats

Abstract

The possibility that there are changes in brain benzodiazepine binding sites controlled by photoperiod was investigated in two strains of male rats. The hypothesis was tested by 3H‐diazepam binding studies in various brain regions of prepubertal rats maintained in 14 or 10h of light or treated with late‐afternoon injections of melatonin (50 μg/day). Protein restriction was applied during the experiment to sensitise the animals to the treatments. Under the conditions employed, rats kept in short daylength throughout or kept on long photoperiod and given late‐afternoon melatonin injections showed evidence of delayed puberty (seminal vesicle, ventral prostate, and testis weight decreased by 45%..