The blunting of the thyrotropin response to repeated thyrotropin-releasing hormone administration is reduced by dopaminergic blockade both at normal and elevated serum levels of thyroid hormones

Abstract

Abstract. Fifteen premenopausal women were investigated in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle with two TRH tests within an interval of 48 to 96 h. Ninety min before each TRH test either 10 mg metoclopramide or saline was injected iv in randomized order. The same procedure was repeated in the following menstrual cycle after pretreatment with T4 (0.5 mg daily for 6-14 days). At least 2 months later the same procedure was repeated with T3 pretreatment (60-120 μg for 6-8 days) in 9 of them. A multiple regression analysis was used in modelling the relationships between TSH release and serum free T3, T4 and estradiol levels, adjusting for the presence of metoclopramide and the order of the test. No correlation was found between the TSH response to TRH and the serum estradiol level. The TSH response to the second TRH test was approximately half the first one, both in the control situation and after treatment with T4 or T3. The blunting of the TSH response to the second TRH administration was significantly reduced by metoclopramide, both at normal and elevated thyroid hormone levels, suggesting that a dopaminergic mechanism takes part in the blunting.