Effect of clonidine on the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones in heroin addicts and normal volunteers.

Neuroendocrine effects of intravenous injections of clonidine, 0.15 mg, were investigated in 13 heroin addicts and 14 normal control subjects. The study was designed to determine whether continuous opiate administration leads to the development of hypersensitive alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. The peak increments in levels of plasma growth hormone (GH) and beta-endorphin induced by clonidine did not differ between heroin addicts and normal control subjects. At no time interval could the clonidine-induced rise in GH levels in addicts be differentiated from that induced by placebo. Clonidine failed to alter plasma prolactin, gonadotropin, or thyrotropin levels in either heroin addicts or controls. Since clonidine's neuroendocrine effects are reportedly due to the activation of postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors, it appears that (1) continuous opiate use does not lead to the development of hypersensitive alpha 2-adrenergic receptors involved in neuroendocrine mechanisms and (2) brain norepinephrine does not play a role in the regulation of tonic prolactin, gonadotropin, and thyrotropin secretion in man.