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Pituitary volume increase during emerging psychosis
Jeannine Büschlen1, Gregor E Berger, Stefan J Borgwardt
1University Psychiatric Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, c/o University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland. Jeannine.Bueschlen@stud.unibas.ch
Schizophrenia Research
|November 16, 2010
Summary
Pituitary gland volume (PV) increases across emerging psychotic disorders, suggesting stress-related activation. This finding is significant for understanding schizophrenia development and potential interventions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Pituitary gland volume (PV) abnormalities are noted in schizophrenia.
- The timing of these PV changes in relation to psychosis onset is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pituitary gland volume (PV) across different stages of emerging psychotic disorders.
- To compare PV in individuals at-risk for psychosis, those with first-episode psychosis, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to manually trace pituitary gland volume (PV).
- Participants included individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis (n=36), first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients (n=23), and healthy controls (HC) (n=20).
- ARMS individuals were categorized as transition to psychosis (ARMS-T) or not (ARMS-NT) based on established criteria.
Main Results:
- Pituitary gland volume (PV) showed a significant increase from healthy controls (HC) to non-transitioning at-risk mental state (ARMS-NT) to transitioning at-risk mental state (ARMS-T) and first-episode psychosis (FEP) groups.
- A significant effect of group and a sex × group interaction were found.
- Women exhibited significantly larger pituitary gland volumes (PV) than men across all groups.
Conclusions:
- The study provides evidence for increased pituitary gland volume (PV) in emerging psychotic disorders.
- Findings suggest that stress-associated activation of the pituitary gland may contribute to these observed volume changes.
- This research deepens the understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of psychosis development.
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