PDF herunterladen
Semin Vasc Med 2004; 4(2): 167-172
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-835375
Copyright © 2004 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA.

The Role of the Somatotropic System in Cognition and Other Cerebral Functions

Wouter M. Creyghton1 , P. Sytze van Dam1 , 2 , Hans P.F Koppeschaar1
  • 1Department of Clinical Endocrinology, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • 2Department of Internal Medicine, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
11. Oktober 2004 (online)

    Lizenzen und Reprints

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptors can be found in several areas of the brain. GH receptors are mainly found in the choroid plexus, thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary, putamen, and hippocampus, whereas IGF-1 receptors are mainly concentrated in the hippocampus and parahippocampal areas. In early life, GH and IGF-1 have an important role in the development and differentiation of the central nervous system. In the more developed central nervous system, GH and IGF-1 are thought to have a variety of functions such as a neuroprotective function, an appetite increasing function, various cognitive functions, and perhaps a blood flow-regulating function. In GH-deficient children and adults, improvement of cognitive functions was observed after the administration of GH. Furthermore, specific cognitive functions in healthy older subjects may improve after increasing GH or IGF-1 levels.

KEYWORDS

Growth hormone - insulin-like growth factor 1 - brain - cognitive functions

REFERENCES

  • 1 Nyberg F, Burman P. Growth hormone and its receptors in the central nervous system-location and functional significance.  Horm Res. 1996;  45 18-22
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Adem A, Jossan S S, d’Argy R. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptors in the human brain: quantitative autoradiographic localization.  Brain Res. 1989;  503 299-303
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Coculescu M. Blood-brain barrier for human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1.  J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 1999;  12 113-124
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Han V K. Is the central nervous system a target for growth hormone and insulin-like growth factors?.  Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1995;  411 3-8
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 van Dam P S, Aleman A, de Vries W R et al.. Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I and cognitive function in adults.  Growth Horm IGF Res. 2000;  10 Suppl B S69-73
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Johansson J O, Larsson G, Elmgren A et al.. Treatment of growth hormone-deficient adults with recombinant human growth hormone increases the concentration of growth hormone in the cerebrospinal fluid and effects neurotransmitters.  Neuroendocrinology. 1995;  61 57-66
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Hanci N, Kuday C, Oguzoglu S A. The effects of synthetic growth hormone on spinal cord injury.  J Neurosurg Sci. 1994;  38 43-49
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Gorio A, Vergani L, Lesma E, Di Giulio A M. Neuroprotection, neurodegeneration, and interaction with insulin-like growth factor-1: novel non-anticoagulant action of glucosaminoglycans.  J Neurosci Res. 1998;  51 559-562
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Winkler T, Sharma H S, Stalberg E, Badgaiyan R D, Westman J, Nyberg F. Growth hormone attenuates alterations in spinal cord evoked potentials and cell injury following trauma to the rat spinal cord. An experimental study using topical application of rat growth hormone.  Amino Acids. 2000;  19 363-371
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Gustafson K, Hagberg H, Bengtsson B A, Brantsing C, Isgaard J. Possible protective role of growth hormone in hypoxia-ischaemia in neonatal rats.  Pediatr Res. 1999;  45 318-323
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Schneider-Rivas S, Rivas-Arancibia S, Vazquez-Pereyra F, Vazquez-Sandoval R, Borgonio-Perez G. Modulation of long-term memory and extinction responses induced by growth hormone (GH) and growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) in rats.  Life Sci. 1995;  56 433-441
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Nyberg F. Growth hormone in the brain: characteristics of specific brain targets for the hormone and their functional significance.  Front Neuroendocrinol. 2000;  21 330-348
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Deijen J B, de Boer H, Blok G J, van der Veen E A. Cognitive impairments and mood disturbances in growth hormone deficient men.  Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1996;  21 313-322
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Deijen J B, de Boer H, Blok G J, van der Veen E A. Cognitive changes during growth hormone replacement in adult men.  Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1998;  23 45-55
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Lijffijt M, Van Dam P S, Kenemans J L et al.. Somatotropic-axis deficiency affects brain substrates of selective attention in childhood-onset growth hormone deficient patients.  Neurosci Lett. 2003;  353 123-126
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Soares C N, Musolino N R, Cunha Neto M et al.. Impact of recombinant human growth hormone (RH-GH) treatment on psychiatric, neuropsychological and clinical profiles of GH deficient adults. A placebo-controlled trial.  Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 1999;  57 182-189
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Baum H B, Katznelson L, Sherman J C. Effects of physiological growth hormone (GH) therapy on cognition and quality of life in patients with adult-onset GH deficiency.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998;  83 3184-3189
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Obermayr R P, Mayerhofer L, Knechtelsdorfer M, Tragl K H, Geyer G. The reduced release of GH by GHRH in 8 subjects aged 65-69 years is augmented considerably by rivastigmine, a drug for Alzheimer's disease.  Gerontology. 2003;  49 191-195
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Aleman A, Verhaar H J, de Haan E HF. Insulin-like growth factor I and cognitive functions in healthy older men.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999;  84 471-475
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Vitiello M V, Merriam G R, Moe K E. IGF-I correlates with cognitive function in healthy older men and estrogenized women.  Gerontologist. 1999;  39 6
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Vitiello M V, Baker L D, Mazzoni G. Growth hormone releasing hormone treatment improves cognitive function in healthy older men and women.  Gerontologist. 2003;  43 51-54
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Murialdo G, Barreca A, Nobili F et al.. Relationships between cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and insulin-like growth factor-I system in dementia.  J Endocrinol Invest. 2001;  24 139-146
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Johansson P, Ray A, Lai Z, Zhai Q Z, Roos P, Nyberg F. Effects of intracerebroventricular injections of growth hormone on opioid peptides in the male rat.  Analgesia. 1995;  1 481-485
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Bengtsson B Å, Edén S, Lönn L et al.. Treatment of adults with growth hormone (GH) deficiency with recombinant human GH.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1993;  76 309-317
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Burman P, Broman J E, Hetta J et al.. Quality of life in adults with growth hormone (GH) deficiency: response to treatment with recombinant human GH in a placebo-controlled 21 months trial.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1995;  80 3585-3590
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Gibney J, Wallace J D, Spinks T et al.. The effect of 10 years of recombinant human growth hormone (GH) in adult GH-deficient patients.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999;  84 2596-2602
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Rosén T, Wirén L, Wilhelmsen L, Wiklund I, Bengtsson BÅ. Decreased psychological well-being in adult patients with growth hormone deficiency.  Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1994;  40 111-116
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 McGauley G A, Cuneo R C, Salomon F, Sonken P. Psychological well-being before and after growth hormone treatment in adults with growth hormone deficiency.  Horm Res. 1990;  33 52-54
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Stabler B, Siegel P T, Clopper R R, Stoppani C E, Compton P G, Underwood L E. Behaviour change after growth hormone treatment of childeren with short stature.  J Pediatr. 1998;  133 366-373
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Schneider H J, Pagotto U, Stalla G K. Central effects of the somatotropic system.  Eur J Endocrinol. 2003;  149 377-392
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Stoving R K, Hangaard J, Hansen-Nord M, Hagen C. A review of endocrine changes in anorexia nervosa.  J Psychiatr Res. 1999;  33 139-152
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Edén S, Engström B, Burman P, Holdstock C, Anders Karlsson F. Effects of growth hormone (GH) on ghrelin, leptin, and adiponectin in GH-deficient patients.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;  88 5193-5198
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Tassone F, Broglio F, Destefanis S et al.. Neuroendocrine and metabolic effects of acute ghrelin administration in human obesity.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;  88 5478-5483
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Kalra S P, Kalra P S. Neuropeptide Y: a physiological orexigen modulated by the feedback action of ghrelin and leptin.  Endocrine. 2003;  22 49-56
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Shaw T G, Mortel K F, Meyer J S, Rogers R L, Hardenberg J, Cutaia M M. Cerebral blood flow changes in benign aging and cerebrovascular disease.  Neurology. 1984;  34 855-862
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Sonntag W E, Lynch C D, Cooney P T, Hutchins P M. Decreases in cerebral microvasculature with age are associated with the decline in growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1.  Endocrinology. 1997;  138 3515-3520
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar

Wouter M CreyghtonM.D. M.Sc. 

Department of Clinical Endocrinology, L.00.407

P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands

      >