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Parental divorce and neuroendocrine changes in adolescents
Author(s) -
Gerra G.,
Caccavari R.,
Delsignore R.,
Passeri M.,
Affini G. Fertonani,
Maestri D.,
Monica C.,
Brambilla F.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1993.tb03385.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , prolactin , psychology , serotonergic , basal (medicine) , stimulation , hormone , luteinizing hormone , adrenocorticotrophic hormone , developmental psychology , serotonin , receptor , insulin
Plasma noradrenaline (NE), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations were examined in basal conditions and after stimulation by the step test in two groups of psychophysically healthy adolescent girls, 18 from divorced families and 16 from non‐divorced families. Basal NE, ACTH, GH, PRL values did not differ in the two groups, whereas those of LH were significantly lower in the adolescents from divorced parents than in those from non‐divorced families. Responses of NE and ACTH to the stimulus were normal, of GH and PRL were weaker, and of LH slightly weaker in children of divorced parents. An impaired catecholaminergic and serotoninergic tonus in children of disrupted families might underly the hormonal alterations.