Hyperprolactinemia

As hyperprolactinemia an increase is prolactin designated in the blood.

The most important pathological causes are:

• a benign tumor of the anterior pituitary called a prolactinoma
• a functional disinhibition due to decreased dopamine levels in the pituitary gland, e.g. B. by neuroleptics , dopamine antagonists, metoclopramide, changes in the hypothalamus or disruption of the pituitary stalk
• a functional stimulation of prolactin in the anterior pituitary, for example in a Thyreotropinom , a thyroid-stimulating hormone -producing tumor.
• primary hypothyroidism with an increase in thyroliberin , which in the anterior pituitary gland stimulates not only the production of thyrotropin but also that of prolactin
• as a result of renal insufficiency

The most important physiological causes are:

• a tactile stimulation of the female nipple
• pregnancy
• Stress (physical and / or psychological)

In the morning measurement, an increased prolactin level can be explained by the circadian rhythm .

Hyperprolactinemia is associated with a variety of effects. Among other things, it reduces the libido in men and women and is associated with low testosterone levels in men .

history

Synonyms from the time before prolactin measurements that still appear occasionally are:

• Ahumada-DelCastillo syndrome or Argonz-Ahumada-Castillo syndrome (combination of galactorrhea and amenorrhea)
• Chiari-Frommel syndrome (pronounced postpartum galactorrhea and amenorrhea)
• Forbes-Albright syndrome (galactorrhea and amenorrhea in a pituitary tumor ), so-called galactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome .

Individual evidence

1. ^ LG Sobrinho: The psychogenic effects of prolactin. In: Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1993 Jul; 129 Suppl 1, pp. 38-40. PMID 8372607 .
2. ↑ Who named it

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !