Impoant stimuli for prolactin secretion:

The regulatory factors for prolactin secretion by the pituitary overlap, in pa, with those causing secretion of growth hormone, but there are impoant differences, and some stimuli increase prolactin secretion while decreasing that of growth hormone Factor Prolactin Growth hormone Sleep || || Nursing ||| - Breast stimulation in nonlactating women | - Stress || || Hypoglycemia | || Strenuous exercise | | Sexual intercourse in women | - Pregnancy ||| - Estrogens | | Hypothyroidism | - TRH || - Phenothiazines, butyrophenones || - Opioids | | Glucose - | Somatostatin - || L-Dopa || || Apomorphine || || Bromocriptine and related ergot derivatives || | Estrogens produce a slowly developing increase in prolactin secretion as a result of a direct action on the lactotropes. Dopamine is PIH and decreases prolactin secretion