Current concepts of prolacting physiology in normal and abnormal conditions

Currently the physiology and pathophysiology of pituitary prolactin secretion are under intensive investigation. Development of sensitive, specific radioimmunoassays for hPRL and improved roentgenographic techniques have increased the diagnostic acumen for incipient pituitary microadenomas. Several modalities of treatment are available at the present time which can result in improvement in the clinical symptoms of the amenorrheagalactorrhea syndromes. Eponymic classification of amenorrhea-galactorrhea syndromes should be discarded and appropriate diagnostic studies initiated to determine the etiology of the inappropriate breast secretion and/or elevated serum hPRL level.