Enhanced Slow Wave Sleep in Patients with Prolactinoma

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 83; no. 8; pp. 2706 - 2710
• Main Authors: Frieboes, Ralf-Michael, Murck, Harald, Stalla, Günter Karl, Antonijevic, Irina A, Steiger, Axel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Endocrine Society 01-08-1998
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jcem.83.8.5016

Bidirectional interactions between nocturnal hormone secretion and
sleep regulation are well established. In particular, a link between
PRL and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has been hypothesized.
Short-term administration of PRL and even long-term hyperprolactinemia
in animals increases REM sleep. Furthermore, sleep disorders are
frequent symptoms in patients with endocrine diseases. We compared the
sleep electroencephalogram of seven drug-free patients with
prolactinoma (mean PRL levels 1450 ± 1810 ng/mL; range between
146 and 5106 ng/mL) with that of matched controls. The patients had
secondary hypogonadism but no other endocrine abnormalities. They spent
more time in slow wave sleep than the controls (79.4 ± 54.4 min
in patients vs. 36.6 ± 23.5 min in
controls, P < 0.05). REM sleep variables
did not differ between the samples. Our data suggest that chronic
excessive enhancement of PRL levels exerts influences on the sleep
electroencephalogram in humans. Our result, which seems to be in
contrast to the enhanced REM sleep under hyperprolactinemia in rats,
leads to the hypothesis that both slow wave sleep and REM sleep can be
stimulated by PRL. These findings are in accordance with reports of
good sleep quality in patients with prolactinoma, which is in contrast
to that of patients with other endocrine diseases.