STUDIES OF THE OPIATE CONTROL OF PROLACTIN, GH AND TSH

Abstract

Opiate peptides are known to influence the secretion of several anterior pituitary hormones under basal conditions. Further studies on prolactin, GH and TSH have therefore been performed in normal subjects, under basal and stimulated conditions, using an opiate agonist and antagonist. Sixteen mg naloxone had no effect on the basal release of prolactin or GH, but lowered TSH. An infusion of the met-enkephalin analogue DAMME (1 mg) increased GH, and produced an exaggerated response of both prolactin and TSH to 200 μg TRH i.v. The peak responses of both prolactin and GH to hypoglycaemia were unaffected by pretreatment with either low-dose (0·4 mg) or high-dose (25 mg) naloxone, or DAMME (0·25 mg). These results suggest that opiate peptides are unlikely to play a major role in the tonic or hypoglycaemia-stimulated release of prolactin and GH, although they may be of importance in the control of TSH.