EFFECT OF NEUROLEPTIC-INDUCED HYPERPROLACTINEMIA ON SERUM DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE-SULFATE CONCENTRATIONS

A number of studies have linked prolactin excess with increased adrena l androgen production, especially dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA -S). To observe the effect of induced hyperprolactinemia on adrenal fu nction, venous samples were obtained on the following groups of male s ubjects. (1) Group A: 11 subjects, pre- and postneuroleptics. (2) Grou p B: 27 subjects on long-term neuroleptics. (3) Controls: 74 normoprol actinemic males (prolactin < 20 ng/ml) Despite significant hyperprolac tinemia (12.1 +/- 1.3 ng/ml pre; 35.4 +/- 3.1 ng/ml post), there was n o change in DHEA-S post-neuroleptics in Group A (297 +/- 40 mu g/dl pr e; 291 +/- 31 mu g/dl post), but these DHEA-S concentrations were sign ificantly higher than CONTROLS (123 +/- 22 mu g/dl; p less than or equ al to 0.05). The Group B subjects were subdivided according to their p rolactin status: 17 normoprolactinemic, 10 hyperprolactinemic. DHEA-S concentrations were significantly higher in hyperprolactinemic Group B (349 +/- 34 mu g/dl) than in the normoprolactinemic (134 +/- 20 mu g/ dl) and Control subjects (p less than or equal to 0.05). In addition, a positive correlation between prolactin and DHEA-S was found in Group B (r=0.431; p < 0.05). While the high preneuroleptic DHEA-S in Group A may reflect hospitalization stress, the higher DHEA-S in hyperprolac tinemic Group B and the correlation between prolactin and DHEA-S in Gr oup B supports a positive role for prolactin in DHEA-S production in h umans.