Lack of effect of dopamine receptor blockade on the TSH response to TRH in borderline personality disorder

Psychiatry Res. 1987 Aug;21(4):307-11. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(87)90014-x.

Abstract

We recently reported that some patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) exhibit a blunted thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone; TSH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). Because it is known that dopamine can inhibit the TSH response to TRH and that some patients with BPD show improvement with antipsychotic (dopamine-blocking) medication, we investigated whether haloperidol could reverse the blunted TSH response in BPD. Of 12 patients with BPD, three showed a blunted TSH response that did not normalize with haloperidol. Furthermore, there were no overall group changes in TSH response with haloperidol. The present study suggests that reductions in TSH response in BPD are not secondary to dopamine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / blood
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Haloperidol / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Personality Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Receptors, Dopamine / drug effects*
  • Thyrotropin / blood*
  • Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Receptors, Dopamine
  • Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Thyrotropin
  • Haloperidol