title: Hyperprolactinemia in hepatic encephalopathy may result from impaired central dopaminergic neurotransmission.
abstract: Ten patients with liver disease and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and eight normal controls were studied. Five of the 10 HE patients had hyperprolactinemia. The administration of L-dopa produced a decrease of serum prolactin in all. Prior administration of Carbidopa, a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor, did not change the prolactin suppression by L-dopa in the normal controls or in the patients with normal baseline prolactin levels. In the hyperprolactinemic group, Carbidopa significantly inhibited the response to L-dopa. Impaired central neurotransmission, at least involving the hypothalamic-pituitary dopaminergic system, may underlie the hyperprolactinemia in HE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Corenblum
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Shaffer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa; D004298:Dopamine