Evaluation of the central dopaminergic activity in gestational hyperprolactinaemia by means of the electroretinographic technique.
Electroretinography, a simple, bloodless technique commonly used in ophthalmological diagnostic practice, seems to give important informations on the level of activity of the retinal and/or other central dopaminergic systems. The Authors have employed this technique in a group of 30 normal pregnant women in the ninth month of gestation, in order to evaluate the dopaminergic activity in a condition of physiological hyperprolactinemia, such as pregnancy, and in a group of 25 normal nonpregnant control women. The b wave amplitude of the electroretinographic traces was significantly higher in pregnant women than in controls, suggesting an over-activity of dopaminergic systems in late pregnancy. The possible interpretations of these data are discussed.
D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*
D011388:Prolactin; D004298:Dopamine