Medical causes and consequences of hyperprolactinaemia. A context for psychiatrists
Medical causes and consequences of hyperprolactinaemia. A context for psychiatrists
Hyperprolactinaemia is the commonest endocrine disorder of the hypothalamic—pituitary axis and can lead to both short-term sexual dysfunction and galactorrhoea, and long-term loss of bone mineral density. Prolactin is secreted from the anterior pituitary gland under the influence of dopamine, which exerts a tonic inhibitory effect on prolactin secretion. Physiological regulators of prolactin secretion include many different types of 'stress' and sleep. Disruption of the normal control of prolactin secretion results in hyperprolactinaemia from pathological and pharmacological causes. The administration of antipsychotic medication is responsible for the high prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia in people with severe mental illness. Physiological hyperprolactinaemia, such as pregnancy and lactation, should be distinguished from pathological causes to prevent unnecessary investigation and treatment. The causes, consequences and management of hyperprolactinaemia are discussed in this article.
prolactin, prolactinoma, antipsychotic, dopamine
28-37
Holt, Richard I.G.
d54202e1-fcf6-4a17-a320-9f32d7024393
March 2008
Holt, Richard I.G.
d54202e1-fcf6-4a17-a320-9f32d7024393
Holt, Richard I.G.
(2008)
Medical causes and consequences of hyperprolactinaemia. A context for psychiatrists.
Journal of Psychopharmacology, 22 (Suppl 2), .
(doi:10.1177/0269881107087951).
Abstract
Hyperprolactinaemia is the commonest endocrine disorder of the hypothalamic—pituitary axis and can lead to both short-term sexual dysfunction and galactorrhoea, and long-term loss of bone mineral density. Prolactin is secreted from the anterior pituitary gland under the influence of dopamine, which exerts a tonic inhibitory effect on prolactin secretion. Physiological regulators of prolactin secretion include many different types of 'stress' and sleep. Disruption of the normal control of prolactin secretion results in hyperprolactinaemia from pathological and pharmacological causes. The administration of antipsychotic medication is responsible for the high prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia in people with severe mental illness. Physiological hyperprolactinaemia, such as pregnancy and lactation, should be distinguished from pathological causes to prevent unnecessary investigation and treatment. The causes, consequences and management of hyperprolactinaemia are discussed in this article.
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Published date: March 2008
Keywords:
prolactin, prolactinoma, antipsychotic, dopamine
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Local EPrints ID: 70421
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/70421
ISSN: 0269-8811
PURE UUID: 7dcc3faa-9659-49d5-94aa-5e4566404d98
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Date deposited: 09 Mar 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:45
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