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. 2024 Aug 16;70(5):327–337. doi: 10.1262/jrd.2024-045

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Fig. 6. — Schematic illustration showing the involvement of opioidergic pathways suppressing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)/LH pulses in lactating rats based on our current and previous studies [54]. Enkephalin (Enk) neurons in the ARC may, at least partially, mediate chronic suckling stimuli-induced GnRH/LH suppression during late lactation, in which the dams suffer from chronic negative energy balance due to milk production. Further studies are needed to clarify the action site of Enk to suppress GnRH/LH pulses. Dynorphin (Dyn) neurons in the PVN and supraoptic nucleus (SON) may, at least partially, mediate acute and chronic suckling stimuli-induced GnRH/LH suppression via direct suppression of KNDy neurons, namely the GnRH pulse generator, through KOR in the neurons.