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.
Background:
Previous studies have suggested that dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leads to brain changes. However, few studies have examined the whole brain configuration for an association with HPA axis activity. We examined the relationship between HPA axis activity and the whole brain configuration.
Methods:
The subjects in this study were 34 healthy female volunteers. HPA axis activity was assessed by the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test. Structural volumes of the brain and diffusion tensor images were obtained, and correlations were evaluated voxel-wise.
Results:
There was a significantly negative correlation between fractional anisotropy value and cortisol levels at 16:00 h (CL-2) in the anterior cingulum, left parahippocampus and right occipital region. There were significantly positive correlations between mean diffusivity value and CL-2 in the left hippocampus and bilateral parahippocampal regions.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that reduced feedback of the HPA axis is associated with reduced neural connectivity throughout the brain, and such an association may be strong in the anterior cingulate, the hippocampus and the parahippocampal regions.
More Related Videos
06:15A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
08:08Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory
Published on: June 18, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
Cushing Syndrome II: Pathophysiology
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
Physiological Foundation of Stress
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Gut-Brain Axis
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
