Summary
We interviewed 33 women with non-puerperal galactorrhea, 5 (15%) of whom had HPRL levels >18 ng/ml and 24 controls, namely women with benign breast lesions. We used a semi-structured interview covering the duration of symptoms, preceding life events and the effect on the relationship of the couple. We also used the Beck depression inventory, the Strauß and Appelt body image questionnaire and an 8 item Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Galactorrheic women were more depressive (P<0.1), had more prior life events (P<0.001), longer duration of symptoms (P<0.01), and less fear of their disease (P<0.05) than did controls. Both groups had similar results with the body image questionnaire. Within the study group, results were independent of prolactin (HPRL) levels or amenorrhea.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aruffo RN (1971) Lactation as a denial of separation. Psychoanal Q 40:100–121
Auerbach K, Avery JL (1981) Induced lactation. Am J Dis Child 135:340–343
Bardé B, Jürgensen O (1988) Psychologische Aspekte der Hyperprolaktinämie. In: Jürgensen O (ed) Hyperprolaktinämie — Prolaktinome. Physiologie — Klinik — Therapie. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 134–170
Beck AT, Ward CH, Mendelson M, Mook J, Erbaugh J (1961) An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiat 4:561–571
Brown GW, Harris I (1978) Social origins of depression. Tavistock, London
Buckman M, Peake G (1976) Incidence of galactorrhea. JAMA 236:2747
Buckman MT, Kellner R (1985) Reduction of distress in hyperprolactinemia with bromocriptin. Am J Psychiat 142:242–244
Cohen LM (1982) A current perspective of pseudocyesis. Am J Psychiat 139:1140–1144
Cohen LM, Cassem NH, Molitch ME, Biller BJ (1979) Pseudonursing: a case of galactorrhea. Am J Psychiat 136:223–224
Fava GA, Fava M, Kellner R, Serafini E, Mastrogiacomo I (1981) Depression, hostility and anxiety in hyperprolactinemic amenorrhea. Psychother Psychosom 36:122–128
Fava M, Fava GA, Kellner R, Buckman MT, Lisansky J, Serafini E, DeBesi L, Mastrogiacomo I (1983) Psychosomatic aspects of hyperprolactinemia. Psychother Psychosom 40:257–262
Jeffcoate WJ, Lincoln BN, Selby C, Herbert M (1986) Correlation between anxiety and serum prolactin in humans. J Psychosom Res 30:217–222
Jürgensen O, Bardé B (1982) Zur Psychodynamik der Hyperprolaktinämie. Gynaekologe 15:190–197
Kleinberg D, Noel G, Frantz A (1977) Galactorrhea: a study of 235 cases, including 48 with pituitary tumors. N Engl J Med 296:589–600
Lane RD, Jacobs SC, Mason JW, Wahby VS, Kasl SV, Ostfeld AM (1987) Sex differences in prolactin change during mourning. J Psychosom Res 31:375–383
Megido D, Yodfat Y, Kedar H (1987) Psychological state in primary idiopathic galactorrhea. J Family Pract 24:634–638
Miller WH, Maricle R (1988) Pseudocyesis: a model for cultural, psychological, and biological interplay. J Psychosom Obstet Gynecol 8:183–190
Nie HN, Hull CH, Jenkins JG, Steinbrenner K, Bent DH (1975) Statistical packages for the social sciences, 2nd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York
Nunes MCP, Sobrinho LG, Calhaz-Jorge C, Santos MA, Mauricio JC, Sousa MFF (1980) Psychosomatic factors in patients with hyperprolactinemia and/or galactorrhea. Obstet Gynecol 55:591–595
Rothchild E (1985) Psychologic aspects of galactorrhea. J Psychosom Obstet Gynecol 4:185–196
Schurz B, Enzelsberger H, Kubista E, Wenzl R (1989) Die Wertigkeit der HPRL-Bestimmung im Rahmen der Galaktorrhoe. Zentralbl Gynaekol 111:33–38
Sobrinho LG, Nunes, MCP, Calhaz-Jorge C, Afonso AM, Pereira MC, Santos MA (1984) Hyperprolactinemia in women with paternal deprivation during childhood. Obstet Gynecol 64:465–468
Sobrinho LG, Sousa JF, Henriques DF et al. (1978) Etude de la psychodynamique de patientes porteuses d’une galactorrhée non puerpérale, avec ou sans tumeur hypophysaire, 19th edn. Revue française endocrinologie clinique, pp 507–518
Strauß B, Appelt H (1983) Ein Fragebogen zur Beurteilung des eigenen Körpers. Diagnostica 29:145–164
Thomä H (1980) Über die Unspezifität psychosomatischer Erkrankungen am Beispiel einer Neurodermitis mit zwanzigjähriger Katamnese. Psyche 34:589–624
Zeitner RM, Frank MV, Freeman SMD (1980) Pharmacogenic and psychogenic aspects of galactorrhea: case report. Am J Psychiat 137:111–112
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Langer, M., Fiegl, J., Riegel, V. et al. Psychosomatic aspects of galactorrhea. Arch Gynecol Obstet 248, 167–173 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02390355
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02390355