Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T02:40:46.213Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gonadotrophin secretion abnormalities in chronic schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

I. N. Ferrier ,
P. M. Cotes ,
T. J. Crow  and
E. C. Johnstone
I. N. Ferrier*
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Division of Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Research Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex
P. M. Cotes
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Division of Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Research Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex
T. J. Crow
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Division of Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Research Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex
E. C. Johnstone
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry and Division of Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Research Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr I. N. Ferrier, Division of Psychiatry, Clinical Research Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex HAl 3UJ.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Synopsis

LH, FSH, PRL and testosterone were estimated by radioimmunoassay in serial venous samples from 20 male chronic schizophrenic patients, 17 age-matched controls, 3 patients in remission from acute schizophrenia, and in single samples from age–sex matched populations. LH and FSH, but not testosterone or PRL, were significantly reduced in patients with chronic schizophrenia. There was an associated reduction in the frequency, but not amplitude, of LH secretory episodes in patients with chronic schizophrenia. No abnormalities of LH secretion were detected in those patients in remission from acute schizophrenia. Fourteen of the chronic schizophrenic patients were retested at a later date with similar results, except in the case of the few patients who had been started on neuroleptic medication. Some relationships were established between hormonal secretion and the clinical features of these patients. The possible significance of these findings is discussed in the context of the complex control of gonadotrophin secretion from the anterior pituitary and the natural history and nature of chronic schizophrenia.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 12 , Issue 2 , May 1982 , pp. 263 - 273
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Asano, N. (1967). Pneumoencephalographic study of schizophrenia. In Clinical Genetics in Psychiatry. Problems in Nosological Classification (ed. Mitsuda, H. and Takasuki, O.), pp. 209–219. Osaka Medical College: Osaka, Japan.Google Scholar
Baker, H. W. G., Burger, H. G., de Kreitser, S. M., Hudson, B., O'Conner, S., Wong, C., Merovics, A., Court, J., Dunlop, M. & Rennie, G. C. (1976). Changes in the pituitary–testicular system with age. Clinical Endocrinology 5, 349–372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barkley, M. S. (1980). Concentrations of luteinizing hormone in the serum of male mice after short-term aggressive interaction. Journal of Endocrinology 85, 299–305.Google Scholar
Barry, J. (1977). Immunofluorescence study of LRF neurons in man. Cell Tissue Research 181, 1–14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Belchetz, P. E., Plant, T. M., Nakai, Y., Keogh, E. J. & Knobil, E. (1978). Hypophysical responses to continuous and intermittent delivery of hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. Science 202, 631–633.Google Scholar
Beumont, P. J. V., Corker, C. S., Friesen, H. G., Gelder, M. G., Harris, G. W., Kolakowska, T., Mackinnon, P. C. B., Mandelbrote, B. M., Marshall, J., Murray, M. A. F. & Wiles, D. H. (1974 a). The effects of phenothiazines on endocrine function. I. Patients with inappropriate lactation and amenorrhoea. II. Effects in men and post-menopausal women. British Journal of Psychiatry 124. 413–430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beumont, P. J. V., Friesen, H. G., Gelder, M. G. & Kolakowska, T. (1974 b). Plasma prolactin and luteinizing hormone levels in anorexia nervosa. Psychological Medicine 6, 219–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blair, J. H., Sniffen, R. C., Cranswick, E. H., Jaffe, M. D. & Kline, N. S. (1952). The question of histopathological changes in the testes of schizophrenics. Journal of Mental Science 98, 464–465.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyar, R., Perlow, W., Hellman, L., Kapen, S. & Weitzman, E. (1972). Twenty-four hour pattern of luteinizing hormone secretion in normal men with sleep stage recording. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 35, 73–81.Google Scholar
Brambilla, F., Guerrine, A., Guastalla, A., Rovere, C. & Riggi, F. (1975). Neuroendocrine effects of haloperidol therapy in chronic schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology 44, 17–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brambilla, F., Rovere, C., Guastalla, A., Guerrine, A. & Riggi, F. (1976). Gonadotrophin response to synthetic gonadotrophin hormone-releasing hormone (GnRH) in chronic schizophrenia. Acta psychiatrica scandinavica 54, 131–145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brambilla, F., Rovere, C., Guastalla, A., Guerrine, A., Riggi, F. & Burbate, A. (1977). Effects of clomiphene citrate administration on the hypothalamo–pituitary–gonadal axis of male chronic schizophrenics. Acta psychiatrica scandinavica 56, 399–406.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brambilla, F., Smeraldi, M., Sacchetti, E., Negri, F., Cocchi, F. & Muller, E. E. (1978). Deranged anterior pituitary responsiveness to hypothalamic hormones in depressed patients. Archives of General Psychiatry 35, 1231–1238.Google Scholar
Brooksbank, B. W. L., MacSweeney, D. A., Johnson, A. L., Cunningham, S. E., Wilson, D. A. & Coppen, A. (1970). Androgen excretion and physique in schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry 117, 413–420.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Checkley, S. A. (1979). Corticosteroid and growth hormone responses to methylamphetamine in depressive illness. Psychological Medicine 9, 107–115.Google Scholar
Checkley, S. A. (1980). Neuroendocrine tests of monoamine function in man; a review of basic theory and its application to the study of depressive illness. Psychological Medicine 10, 35–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cotes, P. M., Crow, T. J., Johnstone, E. C., Bartlett, W. & Bourne, R. C. (1978). Neuroendocrine changes in acute schizophrenia as a function of clinical state and neuroleptic medication. Psychological Medicine 8, 657–665.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Rivera, J. L., Lal, S., Ettigi, P., Mantella, S., Muller, H. F. & Friesen, H. G. (1976). Effect of acute and chronic neuroleptic therapy on serum prolactin levels in men and women of different age groups. Clinical Endocrinology 5, 273–282.Google Scholar
Eberhart, J. A. & Keverne, E. B. (1979). Influence of the dominance hierarchy on luteinizing hormone, testosterone and prolactin in male talapoin monkeys. Journal of Endocrinology 83, 42P–43P.Google Scholar
Feighner, J. P., Robins, E., Guze, S. B., Woodruff, R. A., Winokur, G. & Munoz, R. (1972). Diagnostic criteria for use in psychiatric research. Archives of General Psychiatry 26, 57–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gallo, R. V. (1980). Neuroendocrine regulation of pulsatile luteinizing hormone release in the rat. Neuroendocrinology 30, 122–131.Google Scholar
Gallo, R. V. (1981). Further studies on dopamine-induced suppression of pulsatile LH release in ovariectomized rats. Neuroendocrinology 32, 187–192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glass, M. R., Shaw, R. W., Butt, W. R., Langan Edwards, R. & Landon, D. R. (1975). An abnormality of oestrogen feedback in amenorrhoea–galactorrhoea. British Medical Journal iii, 274–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grossman, A., Moult, P. J. A., Gaillard, R. C., Delitala, G., Toff, W. D., Rees, L. H. & Besser, G. M. (1981). The opioid control of LH and FSH release: effects of a met-enkephalin analogue and naloxone. Clinical Endocrinology 14, 41–47.Google Scholar
Healy, M. J. R. (1972). Statistical analysis of radioimmunoassay data. Biochemical Journal 130, 207–210.Google Scholar
Hemphill, R. E. & Reiss, M. (1945). Serum gonadotrophin and testes biopsy in the treatment of schizophrenia. Journal of Mental Science 91, 1–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hemphill, R. E., Reiss, M. & Taylor, A. L. (1944). Study of histology of testis in schizophrenia and other mental disorders. Journal of Mental Science 90, 681–695.Google Scholar
Holden, M. M. C., Forno, G., Itil, T. & Hsu, W. (1973). Echoencephalographic patterns in chronic schizophrenia (relationship to therapy resistance). Biological Psychiatry 6, 129–141.Google ScholarPubMed
Hoskins, R. G. (1943). Psychosexuality in schizophrenia – some endocrine considerations. Psychosomatic Medicine 5, 3–9.Google Scholar
Hoskins, R. G. & Pincus, G. (1949). Sex-hormone relationships in schizophrenic men. Psychosomatic Medicine 11, 102–109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huseman, C. A., Kugler, J. A. & Schneider, I. G. (1980). Mechanism of dopaminergic suppression of gonadotrophin secretion in men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 51, 209–213.Google Scholar
Huws, D. & Groom, G. V. (1977). Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and thyrotrophin-releasing hormone stimulation studies in patients given clomipramine or ‘depot’ neuroleptics. Postgraduate Medical Journal 53 (Suppl. 4). 175–181.Google ScholarPubMed
Johnstone, E. C. & Ferrier, I. N. (1980). Neuroendocrine markers of CNS drug effects. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 10, 5–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnstone, E. C., Crow, T. J., Frith, C. D., Husband, J. & Kreel, L. (1976). Cerebral ventricular size and cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia. Lancet ii, 924–926.Google Scholar
Johnstone, E. C., Crow, T. J. & Mashiter, K. (1977). Anterior pituitary hormone secretion in chronic schizophrenia – an approach to neurohumoral mechanisms. Psychological Medicine 7, 223–228.Google Scholar
Kaptein, E. M., Kletzky, O. A., Spencer, C. A. & Nicoloff, J. T. (1980). Effects of prolonged dopamine infusion on anterior pituitary function in normal men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 51, 488–491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kety, S. S. (1959). Biochemical theories of schizophrenia. Science 129, 1528–1532.Google Scholar
Kraepelin, E. (1910). Geschlechtliche Verirrungen und Volksvermehrungpsychiatrie (8th edn). J. Barth: Leipzig.Google Scholar
Krawiecka, M., Goldberg, D. & Vaughan, M. (1977). A standardized psychiatric assessment for rating chronic psychotic patients. Acta psychiatrica scandinavica 55, 299–308.Google Scholar
Lachelin, G. C. L. & Yen, S. S. C. (1978). Hypothalamic chronic anovulation. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 130, 825–831.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leblanc, H., Lachelin, G. G. L., Abu-Fadil, S. & Yen, S. S. C. (1976). Effects of dopamine infusion on pituitary hormone secretion in humans. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 43, 668–674.Google Scholar
Lewis, N. D. C. & Davies, G. R. (1921). A correlative study of endocrine imbalances and mental disease. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 54, 385–493.Google Scholar
McCartney, J. L. (1929). Dementia praecox as an endocrinopathy with clinical and autopsy reports. Endocrinology 13, 73–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackay, A. V. P., Iversen, L. L., Rossor, M., Spokes, E., Bird, E., Arregui, A., Creese, I. & Synder, S. H. (1982). Increased brain dopamine and dopamine receptors in schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry (in the press).Google Scholar
Mott, F. W. (1922). The reproductive organs in relation to mental disorders. British Medical Journal i, 463–467.Google Scholar
Moult, P. J. A., Grossman, A., Evans, J. M., Rees, L. H. & Besser, G. M. (1981). The effects of naloxone on pulsatile gonadotrophin release in normal subjects. Clinical Endocrinology 14, 321–324.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Owens, D. G. C. & Johnstone, E. C. (1980). The disabilities of chronic schizophrenia – their nature and factors contributing to their development. British Journal of Psychiatry 136, 384–395.Google Scholar
Rey, J. H. & Coppen, A. J. (1959). Distribution of androgyny in mental patients. British Medical Journal ii, 1445–1447.Google Scholar
Rose, R. M., Bourne, P. G., Poe, N. D., Mongey, E. H., Collins, D. R. & Mason, J. W. (1969). Androgen response to stress. Psychosomatic Medicine 31, 418–436.Google Scholar
Sachar, E. J. (1978). Neuroendocrine responses to psychotropic drugs. In Psychopharmacology: a Generation of Progress (ed. Lipton, M. A., DiMascio, A. and Killam, K. F.), pp. 499–507. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Santen, R. J. & Bardin, C. W. (1973). Episodic luteinizing hormone secretion in man: pulse analysis, clinical interpretation, physiologic mechanisms. Journal of Clinical Investigation 52, 2617–2628.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schally, A. V., Kastim, A. J. & Arimura, A. (1973). Hypothalamic regulatory hormones. Science 179, 341–350.Google Scholar
Shader, R. I. & DiMascio, A. (1970). Psychotropic Drug Side Effects. Williams and Wilkins: Baltimore.Google Scholar
Shader, R. I., Taymoor, M. I. & Grinspoon, L. (1968). Schizophrenia, oligospermia and the phenothiazines. II. Studies on follicle stimulating hormone. Proceedings of the IV World Congress of Psychiatry, pp. 2988–2991.Google Scholar
Spokes, E. G. S., Garrett, N. J., Rossor, M. N. & Iversen, L. L. (1980). Distribution of GABA in post-mortem brain tissue from control, psychotic and Huntington's chorea subjects. Journal of Neurological Science 48, 303–313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taché, Y., Du Ruisseau, P., Ducharme, J. R. & Collu, R. (1978). Pattern of adenohypophyseal hormone changes in male rats following chronic stress. Neuroendocrinology 26, 208–219.Google Scholar
Weinberger, D. R., Torrey, E. F., Neophytides, A. N. & Wyatt, R. J. (1979). Cerebral ventricular enlargement in chronic schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry 36, 735–739.Google Scholar
Wide, L., Nillius, S. J., Gerrizell, C. & Roos, P. (1973). Radioimmunoassay of FSH and LH in serum and urine from men and women. Acta endocrinologica Supplement 174, 3–58.Google Scholar
Wing, J. K., Cooper, J. E. & Sartorius, N. (1974). Measurement and Classification of Psychiatric Symptoms. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.Google Scholar