Effect of a Psychoactive Drug, Trazodone, on Prolactin Secretion in Man

Abstract

Administration of 50 mg trazodone, an antidepressant drug, in a single oral dose to 10 normal subjects of both sexes, aged 24–41, resulted in a significant (p < 0.01) decrease of serum prolactin (PRL) values. The mean serum PRL levels were 8.9 ± 2.2 ng/ml in basal conditions and 4.5 ± 1.7 ng/ml 180 min after trazodone. Pretreatment with trazodone does not modify TRH-induced PRL release.

Neuroendocrinological and Clinical Data upon Trazodone Treatment in Depressed Patients

“…These findings are apparently at variance with the data previously reported by Roccatagliata et al [1979a, b] and by Rolandi et al [1981] indicating a decrease of PRL levels upon acute administration of a single intra venous or oral dose of trazodone to de pressed or normal subjects. Also Nair et al [1979] failed to show changes in basal PRL levels in depressed subjects given trazodone.…”

“…Also Nair et al [1979] failed to show changes in basal PRL levels in depressed subjects given trazodone. Besides, in normal subjects trazodone does not counteract thyrotropin-releasing hor mone induced hyperprolactinaemia [Rolandi et al, 1981].…”

Hyperprolactinemia associated with psychotropics—a review

“…Tricyclic antidepressants have caused mild hyperprolactinaemia in some patients, but the data are limited (Molitch, 2005). Antidepressants like amitriptyline (Schlienger et al, 1980), imipramine (Nutt et al, 1987), clomipramine (Anderson and Cowen, 1986) and desipramine (Price et al, 1989) are thought to share serotoninergic pathways with SSRIs. A small but significant increase of prolactin levels has been reported with amitriptyline (Meltzer et al, 1982; Goyot et al, 1985), nortriptyline (Nielsen, 1980) and clomipramine (Goyot et al, 1985).…”

Drug-Induced Changes in Prolactin Secretion

“…If prolactin secretion is affected at all by antidepressant therapy, the change is less pronounced than with antipsychotic therapy. Short term administration of trazodone inhibits prolactin release (Roccatagliata et al 1979); long term administration is without effect on basal prolactin levels, but nocturnal prolactin release has been found to be elevated in depressive patients on trazodone therapy (Roccatagliata et al 1982;Rolandi et al 1981a). Nomifensine inhibits prolactin release (Laakmann et al 1978;Scanlon et al 1977), although this inhibitory effect has not been seen regularly in patients with prolactinomas Genazzani et al 1980).…”