Random Secretion of Growth Hormone in Humans

Klaus Prank; Mirko Kloppstech; Steven J. Nowlan; Terrence J. Sejnowski; Georg Brabant

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.1909

Random Secretion of Growth Hormone in Humans

Klaus Prank, Mirko Kloppstech, Steven J. Nowlan, Terrence J. Sejnowski, and Georg Brabant

Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 1909 – Published 26 August 1996

Abstract

In normal humans, growth hormone (GH) is secreted from a gland located adjacent to the brain (pituitary) into the blood in distinct pulses, but in patients bearing a tumor within the pituitary (acromegaly) GH is excessively secreted in an irregular manner. It has been hypothesized that GH secretion in the diseased state becomes random. This hypothesis is supported by demonstrating that GH secretion in patients with acromegaly can not be distinguished from a variety of linear stochastic processes based on the predictability of the fluctuations of GH concentration in the bloodstream.

Received 9 November 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.1909

Authors & Affiliations

Klaus Prank¹, Mirko Kloppstech¹, Steven J. Nowlan², Terrence J. Sejnowski^3,4, and Georg Brabant¹

¹Department of Clinical Endocrinology, Medical School Hanover, 30623 Hannover, Germany
²Lexicus, A Division of Motorola, Palo Alto, California 94306
³Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, San Diego, California 92037
⁴Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093