Plasma profiles of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, growth hormone and prolactin in patients with untreated parkinson's disease

Bellomo, Gianni; Santambrogio, Laura; Fiacconi, M.; Scarponi, Anna Maria; Ciuffetti, Giovańni

doi:10.1007/bf00319704

Cited by 70 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…In a prior study, Bellomo and co-workers showed that patients with Parkinson's disease had elevated prolactin and lower hGH plasma levels [4] consistent with the modulatory influence of dopamine on these two hormones [11,20]. In our study, prolactin and hGH levels were not different between RLS patients and controls.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Endocrine rhythms in patients with restless legs syndrome

et al. 2002

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There is increased evidence that the dopaminergic system plays a major role in the pathophysiology of the restless legs syndrome (RLS). Dopamine is the major inhibitory factor of prolactin release and also influences growth hormone (hGH) secretion. The aim of this study was to measure the endocrine activity of RLS patients, to compare it with that of normal subjects and to detect possibly altered patterns of hormonal secretion in RLS patients. Prolactin, hGH and cortisol plasma levels were measured every 20 min for 24 hours in 10 male never-medicated RLS patients (aged 56 +/- 6 years) who have had mild to moderate symptoms for 15 +/- 10 years and in 8 age-matched male controls (aged 57 +/- 5 years). The blood samples taken during the night were paralleled by polysomnographic recordings including the assessment of periodic leg movements (PLM). Plasma levels as well as frequency and amplitude of the pulses of prolactin, hGH and cortisol were not different between RLS patients and controls. Both groups showed the same rhythms during the night- and daytime for all hormones. Cross correlations resulted in high correlation coefficients for each hormone at lag 0 (0.964,0.943 and 0.971 for mean locations of cortisol, hGH and prolactin, respectively). Concerning sleep parameters, there were no significant differences between the two groups apart from a higher PLMS arousal index in RLS patients (25.9 +/- 17.1) compared with the controls (12.0 +/- 9.2; p < 0.05). It is suggested that a possible dysfunction of the dopaminergic system in RLS does not affect the release of prolactin and hGH from the pituitary gland.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Endocrine rhythms in patients with restless legs syndrome

et al. 2002

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“…21 In IPD, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is compromised, even in patients without clinically evident autonomic failure. 5,22 Generalized sympathetic denervation is common, 3 with decreased catecholamine content of the adrenal medulla, 6 blunted circadian rhythms of circulating cortisol, 8,9 and reduced levels of renin and aldosterone, 7 while cardiac and blood vessel sympathetic innervation is also damaged. 4 The lower blood pressure in our IPD patients than controls likely results from sympathetic denervation of the heart, blood vessels and kidneys, and from involvement of adrenal medulla in the disease process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…7 Furthermore, the circadian variations in plasma corticotropin (ACTH), cortisol, and catecholamines are less marked in IPD patients than in healthy subjects. 8,9 In IPD patients basal plasma levels of ACTH and cortisol are normal, but the increase in the plasma levels of these substances is blunted after pituitary-adrenal axis stimulation. 10 Autonomic nervous system activity underlies all human voluntary and involuntary actions.…”

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confidence: 99%

Reduced Risk Factors for Vascular Disorders in Parkinson Disease Patients

Scigliano

Musicco

Soliveri

et al. 2006

Stroke

167

147

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Background and Purpose-Sympathetic hyperactivity is a contributing cause of vascular disorders because it increases blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids. Pervasive compromise of the central and peripheral autonomic nervous systems is common in idiopathic Parkinson disease (IPD) resulting in reduced sympathetic and parasympathetic function. We hypothesized that IPD was associated with reduced prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors as a result of reduced sympathetic activity. Methods-We performed a retrospective case-control study on 178 newly diagnosed consecutive IPD patients, and 533 age-(Ϯ3 years) and sex-matched controls with other neurological diseases seen over the same period at the same hospital. For each case and control the following were noted on admission: smoking, diabetes, hypertension, body mass index, serum glucose, plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipid levels, and blood pressure. Results-Diabetes, history of smoking, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high blood cholesterol, and triglycerides were significantly less frequent in IPD than controls. Conclusions-IDP is a natural model of impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and generalized sympathetic denervation. We interpret the association of untreated IPD with reduced vascular diseases risk factors as attributable to reduced autonomic activity, suggesting that autonomic hyperactivity may be involved in the pathogenesis of vascular disorders.

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“…However, dopamine does not appear to have a major role in the control of ACTH secretion, and thus dopaminergic decrements at the hypothalamic level cannot explain the ACTH/cortisol alterations observed in Parkinson's dis ease. On the other hand, 5-HT has been thought to be responsible for lower circadian ACTH secretion in par kinsonian patients [24], In fact, several studies in mice, rats, hamsters and cats have demonstrated corresponding fluctuations of circulating corticosteroid concentrations and 5-HT levels in the whole brain [25,26] or in the lim bic system [21,22], Furthermore, the administration of ant ¡serotonergic drugs eliminates the diurnal rhythm, in dicating that the normal diurnal fluctuation of adrenal secretion depends on an intact cerebral serotonergic sys tem [27],…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…18] and that it is involved not only in the control of the ACTH/corticosterone response to stress or to insulin administration [19,20], but also in regulation of the ACTH/corticosterone rise during the morning hours [21,22], Corticosteroids and ACTH have a diurnal rhythm with a nadir in the light period and peak secretion during the dark period [23]. Studies of Bellomo et al [24] have shown lower 24-hour integrated concentra tions of ACTH/cortisol in parkinsonian patients as com pared with normal controls and have suggested that a hypothalamic disturbance is responsible for this disorder. However, dopamine does not appear to have a major role in the control of ACTH secretion, and thus dopaminergic decrements at the hypothalamic level cannot explain the ACTH/cortisol alterations observed in Parkinson's dis ease.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

ACTH/Cortisol Involvement in the Serotonergic Disorder Affecting the Parkinsonian Brain

Volpi

Caffarra²,

Boni³

et al. 1997

Neuropsychobiology

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In order to establish whether the serotonergic disorder affecting the parkinsonian brain also modifies hypothalamic-pituitary function in Parkinson’s disease, 10 patients (aged 57–66 years) and 10 normal controls (aged 55–69 years) were tested with the serotonergic agonist d,l-fenfluramine (60 mg p.o.), with CRH (100 µg i.v.) and with placebos. Plasma ACTH/cortisol levels during tests were evaluated and compared. Both groups showed similar levels of ACTH and cortisol in basal conditions and after placebo administration. A slight physiological decline in both ACTH and cortisol levels during the placebo test was observed in normal controls and parkinsonian patients. CRH induced similar ACTH/cortisol increments in all subjects. In contrast, d,l-fenfluramine significantly increased plasma ACTH/cortisol concentrations in the normal controls, but not in the parkinsonian patients. These data show a defective serotonergic control of the pituitary-adrenal axis in Parkinson’s disease.

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Plasma profiles of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, growth hormone and prolactin in patients with untreated parkinson's disease

Cited by 70 publications

References 22 publications

Endocrine rhythms in patients with restless legs syndrome

Endocrine rhythms in patients with restless legs syndrome

Reduced Risk Factors for Vascular Disorders in Parkinson Disease Patients

ACTH/Cortisol Involvement in the Serotonergic Disorder Affecting the Parkinsonian Brain

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