Dopaminergic control of adenohypophyseal growth.

The chronic administration of large doses of oestrogens to rats results in an increase in the weight of the adenohypophysis, in the thyroxine-binding capacity of the adenohypophyseal proteins and in the serum ceruloplasmin level. Testosterone, ant-oestrogens and an excess dose of the thyroid hormones cause parallel inhibition of all three reactions. The dopaminergic neuron blocker Pimozide potentiates all three reactions, while perphenazine, in the tested doses potentiated only the adenohypophyseal reactions. In the tested doses, dopaminergic neuron stimulators (ergocornine and analogous substances) inhibited only the adenohypophyseal reactions. The nature of the relationships between the three reactions in question is considered.