Switch from neuroleptics to clozapine does not influence pituitary–gonadal axis hormone levels in male schizophrenic patients

Hypothalamic dopaminergic and serotonergic inputs participate in the regulation of pituitary hormones, and drugs that block central dopamine and serotonin receptors are expected to influence the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) and –adrenal (HPA) axes. In schizophrenic patients, the switch from...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European neuropsychopharmacology 1999-12, Vol.9 (6), p.533-536
Main Authors: Markianos, Manolis, Hatzimanolis, John, Lykouras, Lefteris
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use
Clozapine
Clozapine - therapeutic use
Cortisol
Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood
FSH
Humans
Hydrocortisone - blood
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - drug effects
Luteinizing Hormone - blood
Male
Middle Aged
Neuroleptics
Pituitary Hormones, Anterior - blood
Pituitary-Adrenal System - drug effects
Prolactin
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - blood
Schizophrenia - drug therapy
Testosterone
Testosterone - blood
Thyrotropin - blood
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Summary:Hypothalamic dopaminergic and serotonergic inputs participate in the regulation of pituitary hormones, and drugs that block central dopamine and serotonin receptors are expected to influence the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) and –adrenal (HPA) axes. In schizophrenic patients, the switch from neuroleptics to clozapine influences prolactin and cortisol secretion, but there is no information on possible changes on HPG-axis hormones. We measured the plasma levels of testosterone (TST), LH, FSH, as well as of prolactin (PRL) and cortisol (CORT), in a group of male patients with schizophrenia during treatment with classical neuroleptics with no satisfactory therapeutic response (31 pts, age 30.3±8.5, range 18–50), and 6 weeks later, after switch to treatment with clozapine (CLZ) in doses from 100 to 600 mg daily (mean 328 mg). Psychopathology was assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. The hormone levels were also compared to those of a control group of 38 healthy males. Treatment with CLZ resulted in a reduction in the BPRS score by 30% in the mean. Plasma PRL was reduced from 39.9±26.1 to 8.3±5.0 ng/ml (P
ISSN:0924-977X
1873-7862
DOI:10.1016/S0924-977X(99)00040-1