TY - JOUR
T1 - Normal pituitary volumes in chronic schizophrenia
AU - Tournikioti, Kalliopi
AU - Tansella, Michele
AU - Perlini, Cinzia
AU - Rambaldelli, Gianluca
AU - Cerini, Roberto
AU - Versace, Amelia
AU - Andreone, Nicola
AU - Dusi, Nicola
AU - Balestrieri, Matteo
AU - Malagò, Roberto
AU - Gasparini, Anna
AU - Brambilla, Paolo
PY - 2007/1/15
Y1 - 2007/1/15
N2 - Pituitary volumes were shown to be abnormally large in pre- or first-psychotic episode patients and abnormally reduced in established schizophrenia by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. We present here the results of the second ever published MRI study exploring pituitary size in a large population of patients with chronic schizophrenia recruited from the geographically defined catchment area of South Verona, Italy. No significant differences for pituitary volumes were reported between 65 subjects with chronic schizophrenia and 65 normal individuals (mean age ± S.D. = 42.31 ± 11.44 and 40.54 ± 11.12 years). In contrast to Pariante et al. (2004), normal pituitary size was found in our population of chronic schizophrenia. Discrepancies between these two studies may partially be accounted by sample age and gender. Considering increased pituitary volumes in pre- or first-psychotic episode patients, we put forward the hypothesis that pituitary size may normalize or reduce with the progression of the illness as a result of reduced numbers of acute episodes and consequent diminished hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. To better test this hypothesis, future large MRI studies should investigate pituitary volumes in chronic schizophrenia longitudinally, also collecting pituitary hormones and cortisol, and comparing the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics on pituitary size in a randomized trial.
AB - Pituitary volumes were shown to be abnormally large in pre- or first-psychotic episode patients and abnormally reduced in established schizophrenia by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. We present here the results of the second ever published MRI study exploring pituitary size in a large population of patients with chronic schizophrenia recruited from the geographically defined catchment area of South Verona, Italy. No significant differences for pituitary volumes were reported between 65 subjects with chronic schizophrenia and 65 normal individuals (mean age ± S.D. = 42.31 ± 11.44 and 40.54 ± 11.12 years). In contrast to Pariante et al. (2004), normal pituitary size was found in our population of chronic schizophrenia. Discrepancies between these two studies may partially be accounted by sample age and gender. Considering increased pituitary volumes in pre- or first-psychotic episode patients, we put forward the hypothesis that pituitary size may normalize or reduce with the progression of the illness as a result of reduced numbers of acute episodes and consequent diminished hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. To better test this hypothesis, future large MRI studies should investigate pituitary volumes in chronic schizophrenia longitudinally, also collecting pituitary hormones and cortisol, and comparing the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics on pituitary size in a randomized trial.
KW - Cortisol
KW - HPA axis
KW - Magnetic resonance imaging
KW - Neuroimaging
KW - Psychosis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.04.004
DO - 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.04.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 17184977
AN - SCOPUS:33846097560
VL - 154
SP - 41
EP - 48
JO - Psychiatry Research - Neuroimaging
JF - Psychiatry Research - Neuroimaging
SN - 0925-4927
IS - 1
ER -