Pituitary gland shrinkage in bipolar disorder: The role of gender
Abstract
Background Hyperactivity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPAA) has been consistently reported in mood disorders. However, only few studies investigated the Pituitary gland (PG) in Bipolar Disorder (BD) and the results are so far contrasting. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the integrity of the PG as well as the role of gender and the impact of clinical measurements on this structure in a sample of BD patients compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods 34 BD patients and 41 HC underwent a 1.5 T MRI scan. PG volumes were manually traced for all subjects. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed by means of the Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Bech Rafaelsen Mania Rating Scale. Results We found decreased PG volumes in BD patients compared to HC (F = 24.9, p Conclusions Our findings suggest that BD patients have decreased PG volumes, probably due to the long-term hyperactivity of the HPAA and to the consequent strengthening of the negative feedback control towards the PG volume itself. This alteration was particularly evident in females, suggesting a role of gender in affecting PG volumes in BD. Finally, the absence of significant correlations between PG volumes and clinical variables further supports that PG disruption is a trait feature of BD, being independent of symptoms severity and duration of treatment.
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BD is mostly associated with reduced pituitary volumes.
“In contrast, BD is mostly associated with reduced pituitary volumes (51, 52).”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [51]
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Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and bipolar disorder
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Pituitary gland volumes in bipolar disorder
Clark, I. A., Mackay, C. E., & Goodwin, G. M. (2014) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.08.022 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
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Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis
Murphy, F., Nasa, A., Cullinane, D., Raajakesary, K., Gazzaz, A., Sooknarine, V., Haines, M., Roman, E., Kelly, L., O'Neill, A., et al. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.748372 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
“In contrast, BD is mostly associated with reduced pituitary volumes (51, 52).”
Background
- Authors
- Delvecchio, G., Mandolini, G. M., Perlini, C., Barillari, M., Marinelli, V., Ruggeri, M., Altamura, A. C., Bellani, M., & Brambilla, P.
- Affiliations
- IRCCS Eugenio Medea (IT)
- University of Milan (IT)
- University of Verona (IT)
- Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Brambilla, Paolo
- ORCID
- Venue
- Comprehensive Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-04
- Volume
- 82
- Pages
- 95-99
- ISSN
- 0010-440X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2793919597
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Comprehensive Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Ministero della Salute
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Keywords
- bipolar disorder, pituitary gland, pituitary volume, gender differences, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, hyperactivity, negative feedback control, brain structure
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bipolar Disorder, Female, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Organ Size, Pituitary Gland, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Sex Characteristics
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