SEMI-PARAMETRIC AND NON-PARAMETRIC MODELING OF THE TEMPORAL ACTIVITY OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC PULSE GENERATOR IN CASTRATE MONKEYS

The luteinizing hormone (LH) is released by the pituitary in discrete pulses. Electro-physiological studies in monkeys have demonstrated that sharp intermittent increases in the electrical activity of a hypothalamic pulse generator (HPG) are associated in a one-to-one manner with the occurrence of LH pulses in the plasma and exhibits a circadian modulation. In order to investigate the temporal structure of the HPG, we develop a semi-parametric stochastic point process model generalizing the Cox's periodic regression model. We apply this approach to the study of memory range of the process underlying HPG activity, using experimental data from one ovariectomized rhesus monkey. A non-parametric approach is also described.