THR (Lopremone): Psychobiological Responses of Normal Women

Abstract

Ten normal women were injected intravenously with lopremone (thyrotropin releasing hormone) and saline given one to four weeks apart. Lopremone injection caused a sharp rise in thyrotropin (thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH) levels with a return to near-base line levels in three hours. These TSH responses were slightly greater than those previously elicited in depressed women but the difference was statistically insignificant. After lopremone injection, triiodothyronine (T₃) levels rose more and sooner than thyroxine (T₄) levels. Neither TSH elevation nor thyroid hormone elevation correlated with the euphoric response experienced by most subjects. This and other evidence suggests a central action of lopremone.