Secretion of Hormones Influencing Water and Electrolyte Balance (Antidiuretic Hormone, Aldosterone, Prolactin) during Sleep in Normal Adult Men

Abstract

Renal conservation of electrolytes and water occurs normally during sleep. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), aldosterone (ALDO), and prolactin (PRL) are hormones that may have interactive effects on kidney function. The availability of a radioimmunoassay for ADH as well as for ALDO and PRL permitted the study of the simultaneous secretion patterns of these three hormones during all-night sleep in eight normal young adult men, by blood sampling every 20 min from 2300 to 0700 on two consecutive night. ADH, ALDO, and PRL all appeared to be secreted episodically. The pulsatile release of ADH was random, and average plasma ADH levels were unchanged during the night. ALDO and PRL, on the other hand, had an approximately 90-min secretion rhythm, and average plasma concentrations of both hormones consistently increased during the hours of sleep. Average plasma sodium concentration was constant throughout the night. The nocturnal increase in plasma ALDO may be responsible for the normal reduction of urine sodium excretion during the night. The concomitant increase in plasma PRL might synergize with ALDO in influencing the renal retention of sodium, but PRL alone has little apparent effect on human kidney function. REM sleep-related decreases in urine flow have been noted both in humans and in monkeys, but ADH secretion was not REM related in out subjects. Autonomic activation during REM is one possible explanation for decreased urine flow during this stage of sleep.

Role of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide in Nocturnal Polyuria in Elderly Males

“…ANP lowers the renin secretory rate [27] as well as inhibiting aldosterone secretion [28] and an inverse relationship therefore exists between ANP and both renin and aldosterone. Both George et al [29] and Richards et al [27] have shown an increase in AVP overnight in healthy adult males, but Rubin et al [30] was unable to reproduce these results. Richards et al [27] studied ANP levels as well as AVP levels and found a decline in ANP overnight as well as the increased levels of AVP.…”

An overview of nocturia and the syndrome of nocturnal polyuria in the elderly

“…37 Diurnal variation in circulating ADH levels has been observed, 42 though not by all investigators. 43 Asplund and Aberg 44 demonstrated that most adults produce higher levels of ADH during the night than during the day, whereas adult men with nocturia do not manifest this nocturnal peak of ADH secretion. This finding has been corroborated by others.…”

The Relationship between Episodic Variations of Plasma Prolactin and REM-Non-REM Cyclicity Is an Artifact*

“…Their claim was based on the calculation of average PRL values, across individual study nights, before and after REM-non-REM transitions. It appeared that episodic hormonal release was related to intrinsically rhythmic neural activation.This association between PRL nadirs and REM stages was confirmed in one subsequent study (2) but not in several others (3)(4)(5). Despite these conflicting reports and lack of detailed analysis, the concept of entrainment of episodic PRL release during sleep to REM-non-REM cyclicity became widely accepted (6-8).…”