Interactions between Prolactin and Dopaminergic Neurons1

The secretion of prolactin from the adenohypophysis is tonically inhibited by dopamine that is released into the hypophysial portal blood from terminals of tuberoinfundibular neurons located in the external layer of the median eminence. These tuberoinfundibular neurons are unique among other dopaminergic neurons in the brain (including the well-characterized nigrostriatal neurons) in that they are not directly regulated by dopaminergic receptor-mediated mechanisms, but instead are selectively responsive to changes in prolactin concentrations in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. In the rat, the activity of the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons is higher in the female than in the male, exhibits a characteristic cyclical pattern during the first half of pregnancy and is constantly high as a result of stimulation by placental lactogen during the last 9 days of pregnancy, and is reduced in lactating animals and acutely inhibited during suckling.