Wilson disease (WD), referred to as hepatolenticular degeneration and occurring primarily as neurological and liver disease, is an inherited disorder that has various clinical presentations [1–3]. The altered gene is localized on the long arm of chromosome 13. Mutations in the Wilson gene are common and include small insertions or deletions. In the cases of unidentified tubular dysfunctions, he...

Leptin, discovered through positional cloning 15 years ago, is an adipocyte-secreted hormone with pleiotropic effects in the physiology and pathophysiology of energy homeostasis, endocrinology, and metabolism. Studies in vitro and in animal models highlight the potential for leptin to regulate a number of physiological functions. Available evidence from human studies indicates that leptin has a...

Leptin, as a key hormone in energy homeostasis, regulates neuroendocrine function, including reproduction. It has a permissive role in the initiation of puberty and maintenance of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. This is notable in patients with either congenital or acquired leptin deficiency from a state of chronic energy insufficiency. Hypothalamic amenorrhea is the best-studied, with...

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a chronic childhood psychiatric illness that involves a reduction in caloric intake, loss of weight and amenorrhea, either primary or secondary. The diagnostic criteria for AN have been established by the American Psychiatric Association. The prevalence of this disease amongst adolescents and young adults is between 0.5 and 1% and the incidence of new cases per year is ...

A clincally useful and reproducible radioimmunoassay for human homologous prolactin, established with commercially available reagents, was studied and validated. We present detailed conditions for iodination and purification of labeled prolactin and the optimal conditions for the assay. By the method, we found values (microgram/liter) as follows for serum prolactin: normal men. 8.9 +/- 5.2 (mea...

Menstrual disorders are very common in adolescence, and can be the cause of a significant amount of stress to both the patients and their parents. Variations of the menstrual cycle in this age are very broad and are mainly caused by the immaturity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis. Amenorrhea (either primary or secondary), abnormal uterine bleeding and dysmenorrhea are conditions...

Physiological events during the normal menstrual cycle are determined by feedback loops within the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Hormonal changes within the menstrual cycle have potential impact on human performance. Relevant stages to consider are pre-menses and menses, the follicular and luteal phases separated by an abrupt elevation in lutenizing hormone and characterised by a sharp r...