The authors describe the case of a 36-year-old man who presented with bitemporal hemianopsia and a serum prolactin concentration of 1440 ng/ml. Magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary revealed a presumed macroadenoma with suprasellar and temporal lobe extension. Although the patient's prolactin level was lowered to 55 ng/ml by bromocriptine therapy, no tumor shrinkage occurred. Fourteen months later, progression of visual field defects necessitated transsphenoidal resection, which was incomplete. Immunocytochemical analysis of the biopsy tissue was positive for prolactin and, in view of the clinical picture, more detailed analysis was not performed. External-beam radiotherapy was given 2 years later because of enlargement of residual tumor. Subsequently, despite a fall in the serum prolactin concentration to less than 20 ng/ml in response to the course of bromocriptine, the mass displayed further extension into the temporal lobe. Nine years after the patient's initial presentation, he underwent transfrontal craniotomy for sudden deterioration in visual acuity caused by hemorrhage into the mass. No adenohypophyseal tissue was identified in the resected tissue. The mass was composed of dysplastic neurons that were strongly immunoreactive for synaptophysin and neurofilament (indicating neural differentiation) and prolactin. Review of the original biopsy specimen indicated that the prolactin-positive cells had striking neuronal morphological characteristics. The final diagnosis in this case is prolactin-secreting gangliocytoma. Although exceedingly rare, this disease must be added to the differential diagnosis in cases of "prolactinoma" when bromocriptine therapy is followed by a marked decline in serum prolactin that is not accompanied by significant tumor shrinkage. Furthermore, in such instances, consideration should be given to "obtaining a biopsy sample prior to electing for radiotherapy.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3171/jns.1999.91.3.0490 | DOI Listing |
Med Sci Monit
January 2025
Department of Anesthesiology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
BACKGROUND Butorphanol, an opioid receptor agonist and antagonist, is widely used for post-cesarean section analgesia in the form of intravenous or intramuscular injection, but nasal sprays are less used. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic effect of butorphanol nasal spray on uterine contraction pain after cesarean section and explore its effect on postpartum prolactin secretion. MATERIAL AND METHODS We randomly divided 120 patients scheduled for cesarean section into 3 groups (40 per group): intranasal saline (control), butorphanol intranasal (BI), and butorphanol pumped intravenously (BV).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCephalalgia
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Background: Women with endometriosis are more likely to have migraine. The mechanisms underlying this co-morbidity are unknown. Prolactin, a neurohormone secreted and released into circulation from the anterior pituitary, can sensitize sensory neurons from female, but not male, rodents, monkeys and human donors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm Heart J Plus
January 2025
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
Objective: Evaluate the relationship of cathepsin-D (CD) on disease severity and clinical outcomes for women with peripartum cardiomyopathy.
Background: Cathepsin-D is a protease released during oxidative stress that cleaves prolactin (PRL) generating a 16 kDa fragment that is pro-apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
Methods: In 99 women with newly diagnosed PPCM enrolled in the Investigation in Pregnancy Associated Cardiomyopathy (IPAC) study, CD levels were assessed by ELISA from serum obtained at study entry.
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