Neuropharmacological aspects of the neural control of prolactin secretion

The use of neuropharmacological agents in neuroendocrine studies has had a significant impact on our knowledge about the neurotransmitter systems that are involved in the control of prolactin secretion. Selective drugs have played a key role in the identification of the dopaminergic inhibitory and serotonergic stimulatory influences. With the development of additional specific neuropharmacological agents in the future, we can expect to gain a better understanding of the complex neural interrelationships involved in the control of anterior pituitary hormone secretion. In view of what we already know about the neurotransmitters involved in the control of prolactin release, a tentative neuronal configuration can be proposed. The following neuronal network most probably does not include several components that may be shown by future studies to be involved in prolactin control, but it does represent a possible functional network based on what knowledge is at the present time (Fig. 4).