In avian species that have evolved life-history strategies wherein molt and breeding overlap, there are potential conflicts between the regulatory roles of baseline prolactin and corticosterone in parental care (positive) and moult (negative). We describe seasonal patterns of hormonal secretion, moult, and parental behaviour in sibling species of giant petrels (Macronectes spp.) which begin mou...

Nitric oxide synthase-containing cells were visualized in the anterior pituitary gland by immunocytochemistry. Consequently, we began an evaluation of the possible role of NO in the control of anterior pituitary function. Prolactin is normally under inhibitory hypothalamic control, and in vitro the gland secretes large quantities of the hormone. When hemipituitaries were incubated for 30 min in...

'Big' and 'big-big' hyperprolactinemia, the presence of increased serum concentrations of high molecular weight (50-60 and 150 kDa respectively) prolactin forms, has mostly been reported in women with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia and normal hypothalamic-pituitary ovarian axis function. It has been suggested that both 'big' and 'big-big' prolactin species are biologically less active than the 2...

Prolactin, a polypeptide hormone of anterior pituitary origin, has pronounced physiological effects on growth, reproduction, and osmoregulation. Increasing evidence indicates that prolactin also has an immunomodulatory influence on the immune system. The status of prolactin in patients with coeliac disease was investigated by obtaining serum samples from 48 patients with active and non-active c...

We recently investigated two patients with diabetes and elevated serum prolactin levels in whom no cause of hyperprolactinaemia could be found. For this reason we measured fasting serum prolactin levels in 72 diabetic males and compared the results with those of 63 healthy males and 90 nondiabetic males attending an Impotence Clinic. The diabetic group had significantly higher serum prolactin l...

Prolactin administration reportedly increases blood pressure in rats and rabbits. To study the effects of prolactin deficiency on blood pressure, rats were given saline, normal rabbit serum, or rabbit antiserum to rat prolactin on postnatal days 2 to 5. Both males and females given antiserum had significantly lower blood pressure at 14 weeks than rats given saline or normal rabbit serum. Blood ...

BACKGROUND Hyperprolactinaemia induced by D(2) dopamine receptor antagonist antipsychotic medication can result in significant health problems. AIMS To examine the role of DRD2 polymorphism on prolactin levels in patients treated with antipsychotic medication. METHOD Antipsychotic drugs with different degrees of D(2) receptor binding were given to 144 patients with schizophrenia. Serum prol...

Prolactin has been shown to have immunomodulatory as well as lactogenic effects. Generally less well known is that prolactin may also play a role in the activity of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have shown decreasing prolactin production to be beneficial in animal models of autoimmune disease. Thus far, double-blinded, placebo-control...

Plasma prolactin concentrations were studied in 88 oophorectomised women who had been receiving mestranol or placebo for three to 11 years. Thirty one of them were also studied under basal conditions and by tests with thyrotrophin releasing hormone. Under basal conditions the mean prolactin concentration was higher in the oestrogen treated group but under non-rested, clinic conditions the diffe...

Raised prolactin levels have been implicated as a cause for infertility in patients with endometriosis. This study was done to investigate if serum prolactin levels were significantly raised in infertile patients with endometriosis. Serum prolactin levels were studied in 43 infertile patients with endometriosis. For controls, 36 infertile patients with normal pelvic findings were used. For stan...