NCJ Number
136476
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 30 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1991) Pages: 784-791
Date Published
1991
Length
8 pages
Annotation
To demonstrate neuroendocrine dysregulations in boys who have experienced varying abusive situations, the ratio of growth hormone response to clonidine and L-dopa challenge was compared in 15 boys with purported physical abuse, 7 with purported sexual abuse, 13 normal controls, and 39 psychiatric controls.
Abstract
A significantly different response was demonstrated in the profiles of two growth hormone challenge tests for boys exposed to varying degrees of purported physical and sexual abuse. Boys with purported sexual abuse demonstrated a statistically significant elevated ratio of growth hormone response to clonidine and a decreased response to L-dopa stimulation. Those with purported physical abuse showed decreased clonidine/L-dopa growth hormone response ratios compared with controls. The differences increased with a variety of measures of increasing maturity. 2 figures, 1 table, and 51 references