PROLACTIN AND TSH RESPONSES TO TRH AND TO ECT IN PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

The patterns of prolactin and thyrotropin (TSH) release after thyrotro pin-releasing hormone (TRH) (0.4 mg i.v.) and during the first session of a course of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) were studied in wome n with major depression, 16 in pre- and 29 in postmenopausal status. T he prolactin responses to both stimuli were lower ill postmenopausal w omen, whereas the TSH responses were not different The known correlati on between the maximal prolactin response to ECT and the maximal respo nse to TRH was significantly stronger in the group of premenopausal wo men (r = .8648, versus .4249 in the postmenopausal group, p < .02). A common underlying mechanism promoting prolactin release for both stimu li can be suggested which diminishes after menopause, probably an infl uence of estradiol on the affinity of dopaminergic and serotonergic re ceptors. That mechanism does not interfere with the TSH release either by ECT or by TRH.