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Influence of Blindness on Plasma Luteinizing Hormone, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, Prolactin, and Testosterone Levels in Prepubertal Boys

Istituto di Endocrinologia e Istituto di Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica, I Facoltá di Medicina e Chirurgia dell’Universita di Napoli Naples, Italy
Istitutc "Martuscelli" per Giovani Ciechi Naples, Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Antonio Bellastella, Instituto di Endocrinologia, Universita di Napoli, S. Antonio a Posillipo 90, 80122 Naples, Italy.

The aim of this study was to determine if changes in LH, FSH, PRL, and testosterone (T) secretion occur in blind prepubertal boys. Eight blind and six normal boys, aged 7–10 yr, living at an institute for blind subjects in Naples, Italy, were studied. Each had a combined GnRH (100 µg) and TRH (200 µg) test at 0800 h after nocturnal rest. Plasma LH, FSH, PRL, and T levels were measured by RIA. The blind boys had basal plasma LH, FSH, and T levels significantly lower than those in the normal boys (P < 0.01 for all three); plasma PRL basal levels were similar to those in the normal boys. The blind boys, moreover, had lower peak LH, FSH, and PRL (P < 0.01 for all three peaks) levels in response to GnRH-TRH. Our results, similar to those found by others in patients with delayed puberty or with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, suggest that 1) light stimuli influence neuroendocrine-gonadal activity in humans, as in other mammals; and 2) in blind prepubertal boys, impaired hormone secretion could cause a delay of pubertal development or more severe hypogonadism.

Received August 8, 1986.

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