Serum prolactin after electroconvulsive therapy in man.

When electroconvulsive therapy without anticonvulsive premedication was administered to male psychiatric patients, serum prolactin (PRL) increased regardless to the rather high initial values due to the chlorpromazine treatment. Maximal levels were found 30 min after current application, yet 60 min after electroshock the serum PRL values were declining against pre-shock levels. Infusion of 30 mg of phentolamine during 40 min prior to electroshock was without any effects on the PRL response. The obtained data indicate that even a 5-fold higher initial serum level of PRL fails to inhibit the stress-induced hormone release and that alpha adrenergic receptors scarcely play a role in this response.