The hypothalamic control of prolactin secretion is different from other anterior pituitary hormones, in that it is predominantly inhibitory, by means of dopamine from the tuberoinfundibular dopamine neurons. In addition, prolactin does not have an endocrine target tissue, and therefore lacks the classical feedback pathway to regulate its secretion. Instead, it is regulated by short loop feedbac...

Prolactin is a peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that is critical in lactation. Prolactin can also be produced by lymphocytes, and both B and T cells express prolactin receptors. These findings have suggested that prolactin has immunomodulatory functions. Studies in spontaneously autoimmune hosts have demonstrated a role for prolactin in augmenting autoreactivity. We chos...

BACKGROUND Since 2003, it has been routine practice at Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia to monitor serum levels of prolactin in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis who are receiving domperidone. Although a pharmacologic relationship between domperidone and prolactin has been documented in the literature, there is no information about routine monitoring of prolactin, ...

In this paper, we review the relationships that link avian parental behavior, stress (acute or chronic) and energetic constraints to the secretion of prolactin, the 'parental hormone'. Prolactin secretion is stimulated by exposure of the parent to tactile and visual stimuli from the nest, the eggs or the chicks, while prolactin facilitates/stimulates the expression of parental behaviors, such a...

Cervical stimulation induces two daily rhythmic prolactin surges, nocturnal and diurnal, which persist for several days. We have shown that a bolus injection of oxytocin initiates a similar prolactin rhythm, which persists despite low levels of oxytocin after injection. This suggests that oxytocin may trigger the cervical stimulation-induced rhythmic prolactin surges. To investigate this hypoth...

Pregnancy hormones, such as prolactin, sensitize neural circuits controlling parental interactions to induce timely activation of maternal behaviors immediately after parturition. While the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is known to be critical for maternal behavior, the specific role of prolactin in this brain region has remained elusive. Here, we evaluated the role of prolactin action in the MPO...

Increasing prolactin levels or increasing responsiveness to prolactin may contribute to reproductive aging by influencing the secretory patterns of hypothalamic GnRH, pituitary gonadotropins, and/or ovarian steroids. Some studies have documented changes in the levels of prolactin in peripheral plasma. The goal of this study was to determine whether prolactin receptor mRNA levels in the brain ch...

background: systemic lupus eyrythematosus (sle) is an autoimmune disease charac-terized by antibodies to nuclear antigens, particularly anti-dsdna. imbalance between production and destruction of immune cells causes cytopenia. sex hormones have im-munomodulatory effects; estrogen increases the production of autoantibodies in sle prone nzb/nzw mice. objective: to investigate the relationship bet...

OBJECTIVE To investigate prolactin levels and related side effects in 128 men and 90 women initially treated with risperidone. METHOD Patients initially treated with risperidone were followed over 5 years, during which 45% were switched to other antipsychotic drugs. RESULTS Initially, prolactin levels were fivefold the norm in women, and threefold in men. Diagnosis did not affect the prolac...

BACKGROUND Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease of skin, the etiology of which is not completely known. Despite the latter, anti-desmoglein antibodies play a proven role in the pathogenesis. Recent studies showed an etiologic effect for prolactin in the pemphigus vulgaris. This study aimed to quantify the correlation between serum prolactin levels and anti-desmoglein antibodies ...