Dissociation of Growth Hormone and Cortisol Release Following Apomorphine

Abstract

Serum GH and cortisol were assayed in 12 healthy men following a subemetic dose of apomorphine. GH was clearly elevated in all subjects within 45 min following apomorphine administration. Only 1 subject showed a clear-cut increment in cortisol level following apomorphine. The remaining subjects showed either no change in cortisol levels or minor fluctuations which did not differ from those seen in controls. These observations indicate that apomorphine-induced GH release is not mediated through the systemic nonspecific stress related effects of apomorphine and instead suggest that stimulation of central dopamine receptors is the mechanism behind apomorphine-induced GH release. The lack of consistent changes in cortisol levels following apomorphine further suggests that such dopaminergic stimulation has no effect on ACTH release.