Influence of naloxone infusion on prolactin and growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone in anorexia nervosa.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is frequently associated with anomalies of growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion. We studied the GH and PRL responses to GHRH1-44 (50 micrograms IV) and the effect of a naloxone infusion (1.6 mg/hr), started 1 hr before GHRH administration, on this response in 12 female patients with AN, aged 15-30 yr, and in seven normal women, aged 19-27 yr, during the follicular phase as controls. In AN, GHRH induced an increase in GH levels similar to that observed in normal subjects. A significant inhibition of the GH response to GHRH was observed during naloxone infusion, similar to the inhibition in normal female subjects during the follicular phase. PRL levels showed a significant increment after GHRH alone and a slight, nonsignificant, PRL increment after GHRH during naloxone infusion in AN patients. In contrast a slight PRL decrease was observed after GHRH, both before and during naloxone infusion, in the normal subjects. Our study demonstrates that endogenous opioids play a role in influencing PRL secretion in patients with AN different from their role in normal subjects.
De Marinis
L
L
Institute of Endocrinology, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy.
Mancini
A
A
D'Amico
C
C
Zuppi
P
P
Tofani
A
A
Della Casa
S
S
Saporosi
A
A
Sambo
P
P
Fiumara
C
C
Calabró
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004723:Endorphins / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000502:physiology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
D004723:Endorphins; D009270:Naloxone; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone