Male populations in the European North of Russia have not previously been investigated for semen quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate semen parameters, reproductive hormone levels, and lipid levels in volunteers from the general urban population of the European North of Russia, to compare the data published for men from the neighboring Northern or Eastern European countries, and to evaluate associations between sperm quality and serum hormonal and lipid levels. Ninety-nine volunteers aged 23–63 years residing in the city of Archangelsk were enrolled in the study. All men had blood samples drawn and completed a questionnaire concerning their health status and lifestyle; 90 men delivered semen samples. The medians for semen volume, sperm concentration, progressive motility, and normal morphology were 3.0 ml, 42.12 million/ml, 43.8%, and 6.5%, respectively. Sperm parameters below normal threshold values were found in 38.9% of participants. It seems that the sperm quality in our study group was slightly worse than in men from Finland, Norway, Sweden, or Estonia, but very similar to that in men from Denmark or Poland. The significant negative correlations of luteinizing hormone levels and positive correlations of inhibin B levels with sperm concentration and progressive motility were revealed. Higher levels of luteinizing hormone and lower levels of inhibin B were found in participants with impaired compared to normal sperm quality. No reliable links were found between serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, high and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and semen parameters.

The goal of research is to examine the characteristics of the hormones of the pituitary-gonadal and pituitary-thyroid gland systems in the peripheral blood of the male population living in different areas of Russia, taking into account the population groups. The study involved 136 men aged 22 to 50 years old, who are permanently resident in the North no less than three generations. Among them there are 80 local residents of Arkhangelsk (64° 32' N), 19 local residents of Vologda (59° 13' N) and 37 local residents of Nes, Nenets Autonomous Okrug (66° 36' N). According to the basis of nationality group of men living in Nes was divided into: Russian - 23 people and settled aboriginal population (Nenets, Komi) - 14 people. We have shown that functional activity of the pituitary-thyroid axis (thyrotropin, thyroxine, free triiodothyronine) in the male Caucasoid and settled aboriginal population of the polar region exceeds its level in the inhabitants of the circumpolar area (Arkhangelsk). At the same time, men living in the mid-latitude area (Vologda) had minimal activity of the pituitary-thyroid axis (triiodothyronine, free thyroxine), compared with polar and circumpolar areas. It was shown that the functional activity of the pituitary-gonadal axis in men living in Vologda (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin B, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) and in Nes (follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin B, testosterone, free testosterone, sex-hormone-binding globuline) was higher compared with the inhabitants of the city of Arkhangelsk. The levels of sperm antibodies were minimal in men living in Nes. At the same time, changing the traditional way of life from nomadic to a settled one leads to the negative tendencies such as the decrease of the synthesis reserves of steroid hormones in the settled aboriginal population that is shown by the decreased serum levels of progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.

Several studies havebeenpublished on the relationship between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and dopaminergic systems. However, they are mainly limited to experimental or clinical settings. The aim was to study the activity of the pituitary-gonadal system at different plasma dopamine levels in women living in the Russian Arctic taking into account their physiological state (reproductive age or postmenopause) and place of residence. Methods. Altogether, 72 women of the European North and 126 women of the Asian North aged 21-83 years participated in a cross-sectional study. Serum levels of luteinizing, follicle-stimulating hormones, prolactin, progesterone, total and free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, estradiol, and dopamine in the blood plasma were estimated. Results. Reference dopamine levels in fertile women of the European North were associated with higher values of prolactin (21.6 ng/ ml), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (6.49 pmol / l) and free testosterone (2.2 pg/ml), compared with women with undetectable dopamine levels in blood (11.4 ng/ml; 5.05 pmol/L; 0.7 pg/ml, respectively). In postmenopausal women of the Asian North the abovelimit dopamine levels were associated with lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormones (45.2 IU/L) and progesterone (2.99 nmol/L) and higher concentrations of testosterone (1.42 nmol/L) than in women with reference levels (67.8 IU/L; 3.95 nmol/L; 0.90 nmol/L, respectively). Conclusions. The combination of high prolactin levels with a high content of androgens in fertile women of the European North, especially in the group with reference dopamine levels, can be a risk factor for the occurrence of anovulatory menstruation. In postmenopausal women of the Asian North against the background of general reduced testosterone content, an increase in its level was recorded only in the group of persons with excess dopamine levels.

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