Effect of prolactin on plasma DHEA (s) levels.

Plasma DHEA and DHEA-S levels were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in women with elevated prolactin levels, due either to chronic treatment with psychotropic drugs or to a prolactinoma, than in untreated controls. This increase was also observed in 3 male patients with prolactinoma. It is suggested that this increase is the consequence of a direct effect of prolactin on the adrenal cortex and that prolactin might be responsible for the ACTH independent andrenocortical androgen secretion.