Growth Hormone and Cortisol Secretion in Man

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Abstract
Laisi, U., S. Leisti, J. Leppäluoto, J. Lumio, J. Partanenand P. Virkkunen. Growth hormone and Cortisol secretion in man. Acta physiol. scand. 1973. 89. 192–197.In 4 healthy resting males blood was collected through indwelled catheters at 1–3 min intervals and EEG recorded in a sound‐shielded anechoic environment for 30 min (expt. 1). The iminunorcactive plasma growth hormone was at high concentration (10–33 ng/ml) and was secreted in 3 significant bursts in one subject, but was low (0–4 ng/ml) in 3 other subjects. The plasma Cortisol, measured by a fluorometric method, was at low and constant level (mean ±S.D. = 8.9±1.5 μg/100 ml). The EEG vigilance fluctuated between wakefulness and real sleep. The plasma growth hormone concentration tended to be high at wakeful stages and low at sleep stages. There was no correlation between vigilance and plasma Cortisol level. In the middle of the following experiment (expt. 2) a painful faradic current was applied to the forearm for 10 s and blood was collected as in expt. 1. The plasma Cortisol level before the painful stimulus was significantly increased (12.3±4.6 /yg/100 nil) and did not change after the stimulus, in spite of the clear increase of vigilance. The high prc‐stimulus level of plasma Cortisol is evidently due to anticipatory mechanisms. We conclude that growth hormone is secreted in bursts which may last as short as 5 min and that the increase of vigilance could trigger the secretion of growth hormone but not that of Cortisol.

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