title: Case report of prolactin and bipolar illness: a longitudinal study.
abstract: A longitudinal and naturalistic study of nine bipolar patients attending a lithium clinic during a six-month period was undertaken. Prolactin plasma levels and psychiatric symptoms were evaluated bi-weekly. Wide interindividual and intraindividual fluctuations were observed both in prolactin levels and psychiatric symptoms. The relationship between prolactin and affective episodes was found to be complex. In a few instances, sharp prolactin changes preceded behavioral modifications. Bipolar disorders, even if treated, appeared to be unstable conditions, from both the phenomenological and neuroendocrinological viewpoints.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Fava
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spinks
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loretan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Morphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin