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A 38-year-old gravida 2, para 1 woman, who had suffered from virilization and amenorrhoea for 8 years was examined. She had peripheral serum testosterone (T) levels of 3.9\p=n-\8.7ng/ml (normal level: 0.32 \ m=+-\ 0.09 ng/ml) with normal serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), aldosterone and cortisol (F) and normal urinary 17-ketosteroids (17-KS). Dexamethasone (DXM 2 mg/day for 5 days) suppressed the serum F level adequately, but reduced the high T levels only slightly. The administration of commercial hCG 6000 IU for 3 days increased both the serum T levels (5.68 to 9.83 ng/ml) and the serum DHA levels (4.9 to 9.8 ng/ml, normal range 4\p=n-\6 ng/ml), but synthetic ACTH-Z (Cortrosyn-Z\s=r\, 1 mg, Organon) did not affect the serum T level. The basal serum LH level was abnormally low, and constant infusion of synthetic LH-RH (200 \g=m\g/5h) resulted in good responses of serum LH and FSH and increase in the serum T level from 5.2 to 9.1 ng/ml. Computerized tomography, ultrasonography and pneumo-retroperitoneumroentgenography showed the presence of a large tumour in the right adrenal. The tumour was a circumscribed irregularly lobulate mass, measuring 1 6 \ m= x \ 8 \ m= x \ 8 cm and weighing 500 g. Histologically, it was identified as a ganglioneuroma containing numerous scattered groups of large polyhydral cells similar to adrenocortical cells, forming islets in some places. After removal of the tumour from the right adrenal, the high serum T level decreased to the normal female level in 24 h.

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Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the anterior, middle and posterior hypothalamus has been studied in adult female rats during the different phases of the oestrous cycle. Differences in LDH activity were found in the middle and posterior hypothalamus. LDH activity in the middle hypothalamus was significantly higher between 5:30 a. m. and 7:00 a. m. on the day of pro-oestrus than during the other phases (P < 0.01). (Rats were exposed to a controlled light schedule of 12 hours of light daily from 10 p. m. to 10 a. m.). LDH activity in the posterior hypothalamus was higher between 5:30 a. m. and 7:00 a. m. on the day of pro-oestrus than during the other phases. But this difference was not statistically significant. Ovulation which should occur during that night was blocked, when the rats were anaesthetized by pentobarbital between 5:30 a. m. and 7:00 a. m. during pro-oestrus. These findings indicate that the rise in LDH activity of the middle hypothalamus during the critical period may be related to the release of the luteinizing hormone releasing factor.

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