INFLUENCE OF PARTIAL SLEEP-DEPRIVATION ON THE SECRETION OF THYROTROPIN, THYROID-HORMONES, GROWTH-HORMONE, PROLACTIN, LUTEINIZING-HORMONE, FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE, AND ESTRADIOL IN HEALTHY-YOUNG WOMEN

The influence of partial sleep deprivation during the second half of t he night on the secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyrox in (T4), free T4 (fT4), triiodothyronine (T3), prolactin (PRL), growth hormone luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2) was investigated in 10 healthy young women. Blood samples were drawn at hourly intervals over a 64-hour period (i.e., 3 consecutive days and nights). During night 2, all subjects were awaken ed at 1:30 a.m. During partial sleep deprivation, TSH concentrations i ncreased significantly and remained elevated throughout the following day. Levels of T4, fT4, and T3 were enhanced during the partial sleep deprivation hours only, and changes in these hormones seemed to be ind ependent of TSH. PRL levels decreased, LH and E2 concentrations increa sed, and GH and FSH secretion remained unchanged during partial sleep deprivation. This pattern of change of different endocrine axes during partial sleep deprivation resembles those seen after total sleep depr ivation, suggesting that similar neurochemical changes are induced by both forms of antidepressant therapy. The late evening GH peak occurre d almost exclusively before the onset of sleep. Partial sleep deprivat ion did not influence the chronobiological profiles of any of the horm ones investigated. The chemical changes underlying these alterations a re speculated to involve enhancement of central norepinephrine and dop amine activity with a concomitant increase in the activity of the symp athetic nervous system.