Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas (prolactinomas) are the most common functional pituitary adenoma, with hypothalamic involvement.
Prolactinomas cause:
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Hypogonadism
- Dopamine agonist responsive
- Location: Arcuate nucleus → median eminence
- Primary dopamine source
- Inhibit prolactin secretion
- Tonically active
- Supplementary inhibition
- Variable contributions
- Reduced dopamine tone
- Feedback dysfunction
- Compensatory changes
- Galactorrhea
- Amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea
- Erectile dysfunction
- Infertility
- Headache
- Vision disturbances (compression)
- Rarely seizures
- Bromocriptine
- Cabergoline
- Normalize prolactin
- Shrink adenoma
- Dopamine neuron function
- Endocrine normalization
- Often complete recovery
- Prolactinoma pathophysiology (2022)
- Dopamine and prolactin (2021)