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Related Experiment Videos

Hypothalamic-pituitary dopaminergic function in hepatic failure in man

S Lal, M Oravec, A Aronoff

    Journal of Neural Transmission
    |January 1, 1982
    PubMed
    Summary

    Dopamine receptor sensitivity is reduced in patients with liver cirrhosis, impacting growth hormone (GH) response. This impairment is linked to low testosterone levels, not hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

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    Area of Science:

    • Endocrinology
    • Neuroscience
    • Hepatology

    Background:

    • Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to liver cirrhosis, potentially affecting hormonal regulation and brain function.
    • Dopamine (DA) receptor agonists like apomorphine HCl (Apo) are used to assess the integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
    • Liver cirrhosis is associated with various endocrine and neurological complications.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine HCl (Apo) in individuals with and without alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
    • To determine if hepatic encephalopathy (HE) influences the GH response to Apo.
    • To explore the relationship between GH response, sex hormone levels, and DA receptor function in cirrhosis.

    Main Methods:

    • Assessed GH response to apomorphine HCl (0.75 mg sc) in healthy non-cirrhotic alcoholics (N=20) and cirrhotic patients with (N=5) and without (N=14) HE.

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  • Measured plasma concentrations of oestrone, oestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone.
  • Correlated GH response with hormone levels and presence/severity of HE.

    • Main Results:

    • A significant proportion of cirrhotic patients, with or without HE, exhibited an impaired GH response to Apo compared to controls.
    • Impaired GH response was independent of the presence of HE.
    • GH response magnitude correlated significantly with plasma testosterone levels; low testosterone was associated with impaired GH response.
    • No subjects with HE showed an arousal response to Apo.

    Conclusions:

    • Dopamine receptor sensitivity is decreased in liver cirrhosis, evidenced by an impaired GH response to Apo.
    • This DA dysfunction is linked to inadequate circulating testosterone levels.
    • The development of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) appears independent of impaired DA function within the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.