Influence of pimozide on hypothalamo-pituitary function in children with behavioral disorders

Hypothalamo-pituitary functions were examined in thirteen children with behavioral disorders (six with hyperkinesia, four with autism, two with tic and one with schizophrenia) before and during treatment with pimozide, an antidopaminergic drug. The mean (+/- S.E.M.) basal serum PRL level (24.5 +/- 4.2 ng/ml) during pimozide treatment was significantly higher than that (12.4 +/- 3.2 ng/ml) before treatment. Hyperresponse of PRL to TSH releasing hormone (TRH) was observed in five (three with hyperkinesia, one with tic and one with autism) of the thirteen patients before treatment and in seven (four with hyperkinesia, two with autism and one with tic) during treatment. Mean TSH response during treatment was not significantly different from that before treatment. However, three of the four autistic children showed hyperresponse of TSH to TRH before treatment, whereas only one also showed a hyperresponse during treatment. The pimozide treatment had no demonstrable influence on GH or cortisol secretion in response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, or on serum T4 and T3 levels.