Prolactin and growth hormone responses in the amenorrhea-galactorrhea syndrome.
Fifteen patients with hyperprolactinemia, amenorrhea, and galactorrhea were studied; 10 of these patients had apparent tumors. Nine of 12 patients had a suppression of prolactin with oral L-dopa, and all of 4 patients undergoing dopamine infusion had suppression of prolactin. Eleven and 8 patients underwent chlorpromazine stimulation and insulin-induced hypoglycemia, respectively; none responded. Three of the 4 patients did not show a growth hormone response with dopamine infusion, and L-dopa testing failed to achieve a growth hormone response in 7 of 10 patients. The data suggest an intact dopaminergic inhibition of prolactin with exogenous agents. However, inhibition of endogenous dopamine by chlorpromazine failed to elicit a prolactin response. The disordered growth hormone response to dopaminergic agents suggests a central disorder of dopamine generation. The possible implication of these results with respect to the pathogenesis of hyperprolactinemia is discussed.
D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood*; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005687:Galactorrhea / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007775:Lactation Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D013577:Syndrome
D007980:Levodopa; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002746:Chlorpromazine