[Analysis of mechanisms whereby pharmacologically-induced hyperprolactinemia leads to altered gonadotropin secretion (author's transl)].

Chronic hyperprolactinaemia was induced in 10 women since the onset of a cycle for 2 or 3 consecutive cycles by administration of sulpiride (3 X 50 mg/day) or tiapride (100-200 mg/day). The resulting perturbations of the menstrual cycle included short luteal phase cycles, anovulatory cycles and amenorrhoea. The analysis of the hormonal profiles under treatment, as compared to the control cycles, indicate an impact of hyperprolactinaemia both preferentially at the hypothalamic (alteration of the secretion or endogenous LRH) and accessorily at the ovarian (lack of progesterone secretion by the near mature follicle) levels.