Abstract
The effect of LH-RH (50 mcg/m2, i.v.) on the plasma growth hormone (hGH), prolactin (Prl) and gonadotrophins (Gn) was studied in 10 adolescent schizophrenic boys, aged 15 8/12 ± 4/12 years (m±SE). Their height, weight and pubertal stages were appropriate to their chronological age. As controls served 9 matched normal boys. Before initiation of antipsychotic treatment in 8 out of the 10 schizophrenics LH-RH induced a marked rise of the plasma hGH from 2.5 ± 0.6 (m±SE) to 15.5 ± 2.4 ng/ml (p < 0.001) at 45-90 mins. No effect was observed in the normal controls. The mean plasma Prl levels showed a slight but not significant increase from 8.4 ± 1.4 to 12.7 ± 1.5 ng/ml. The Gn response to LH-RH was appropriate for the respective pubertal stage in all patients. Six patients were restudied 3 mos following treatment with the antidopaminergic drugs (chlorpromazine, thioridazine or haloperidol). Their basal Prl rose to 27 to 300 ng/ml. Their mean basal plasma hGH level was 2.0 ± 0.6 ng/ml and only one boy maintained a positive hGH response to LH-RH. It is postulated that the abnormal stimulation of hGH by LH-RH in young schizophrenics is caused by an excess brain dopaminergic activity.
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Dickerman, Z., Gil-Ad, I., Tiano, S. et al. Non-specific growth hormone stimulation by synthetic LH-RH in adolescent schizophrenics. Pediatr Res 13, 1187 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197910000-00041
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197910000-00041
