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[Changes in secretion of prolactin in obesity]
F Grimaldi1, A Mazzolini, R Paterniti Barbino
1Servizio di Endrocrinologia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine.
Minerva Endocrinologica
|October 1, 1990
Summary
Obese patients exhibit altered prolactin secretion, with higher basal levels but a similar response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation compared to healthy individuals. This suggests a potential deficiency in the body's natural prolactin inhibition system.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Obesity is a complex metabolic condition associated with various hormonal dysregulations.
- Prolactin, a hormone involved in numerous physiological processes, has been implicated in obesity, but its secretion patterns require further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare basal prolactin levels and the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation between obese individuals and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Serum prolactin levels were measured in 20 obese patients and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects.
- Basal prolactin levels were assessed, followed by a TRH stimulation test to evaluate prolactin secretion dynamics.
Main Results:
- Obese patients presented significantly higher basal serum prolactin levels compared to healthy subjects.
- No significant differences in serum prolactin concentration were observed during the TRH stimulation test between the two groups.
- The incremental area under the prolactin curve during TRH stimulation was slightly lower in obese patients, likely due to their elevated baseline levels.
Conclusions:
- Prolactin secretion is indeed altered in obese individuals.
- The observed pattern suggests a potential impairment of the dopaminergic inhibitory system, which normally regulates prolactin release, in the context of obesity.