Noise Induces Hypothyroidism and Gonadal Dysfunction Via Stimulation of Pineal–Adrenal Axis in Chicks

Noise is a world-wide problem that causes nervous, endocrine and cardiovascular disorders, and eventually health hazards in humans and animals. Objective of the current work is to investigate endocrine interaction in noise stress, which subsequently affects other endocrine functions including gonads in a poultry bird like chicks. Gravimetric, ultrastructural and hormonal status of the endocrine organs were examined to ascertain the effects of noise stress. Acute noise at 60 dB had no effect, but at 80 and 100 dB each for 3 h, increased pineal and serum serotonin, and adrenal and serum corticosterone, epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations, without any change in thyroid or gonadal hormones. Chronic noise exposure at 60, 80 and 100 dB each for 6 h, daily for 7 days, drastically disturbed normal behavior, and quantum of food consumption and water intake. Chronic exposure also significantly decreased body weight including thyroid, ovary and testis weight, and increased adrenal weight. Noise stress caused ultrastructural changes leading to stimulations of pinealocytes (with abundance of rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria), adrenocortical cells (enlarged nuclei and abundance of smooth endoplasmic reticulum) and adrenomedullary cells (enlarged nuclei with presence of chromaffin granules) were observed in noise stress. Additionally, pineal and serum serotonin, N-acetyl serotonin and melatonin, and adrenal and serum corticosterone, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were significantly elevated following chronic noise exposure. Contrarily, thyroid activity was suppressed with atrophied thyroid follicles followed by declined levels of serum T3 and T4 with elevation of TSH level. Simultaneously, serum 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) concentrations were also significantly declined in all the doses of chronic noise. These changes were dose dependent of noise exposure. The findings suggest that (a) adrenal and pineal glands respond primarily to noise and secondarily act on other endocrine organs including gonads in chicks, (b) adrenal directly and/or indirectly causes thyroid and gonadal dysfunctions via pineal following noise exposure in chicks.