Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity and brain differences in healthy women
Miho Ota1, Hiroaki Hori, Noriko Sato
1Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.
Neuropsychobiology
|November 7, 2013
Summary
Reduced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis feedback is linked to decreased neural connectivity in brain regions like the anterior cingulate and hippocampus. This study reveals significant correlations between HPA axis activity and brain structure in healthy women.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation is implicated in brain changes.
- Limited research exists on whole-brain configuration in relation to HPA axis activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between HPA axis activity and whole-brain structural connectivity.
- To identify specific brain regions affected by HPA axis activity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test to assess HPA axis activity in 34 healthy female volunteers.
- Acquired structural brain volumes and diffusion tensor imaging data.
- Performed voxel-wise correlation analyses to evaluate relationships.
Main Results:
- Found significant negative correlations between fractional anisotropy and cortisol levels in the anterior cingulate, left parahippocampus, and right occipital region.
- Observed significant positive correlations between mean diffusivity and cortisol levels in the left hippocampus and bilateral parahippocampal regions.
Conclusions:
- Reduced HPA axis feedback correlates with diminished neural connectivity across the brain.
- This association appears particularly prominent in the anterior cingulate, hippocampus, and parahippocampal regions.
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