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Pituitary gland volume in at-risk mental state for psychosis: a longitudinal MRI analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2014

Anna Walter ,
Erich Studerus ,
Renata Smieskova ,
Corinne Tamagni ,
Charlotte Rapp ,
Stefan J. Borgwardt  and
Anita Riecher-Rössler
Anna Walter
Affiliation:
University of Basel, Department of Psychiatry, Basel, Switzerland
Erich Studerus
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
Renata Smieskova
Affiliation:
University of Basel, Department of Psychiatry, Basel, Switzerland Medical Image Analysis Centre (MIAC), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Corinne Tamagni
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
Charlotte Rapp
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
Stefan J. Borgwardt
Affiliation:
University of Basel, Department of Psychiatry, Basel, Switzerland Medical Image Analysis Centre (MIAC), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Anita Riecher-Rössler*
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
*
*Address for correspondence: Prof. Anita Riecher-Rössler, MD, University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Recognition, Kornhausgasse 7, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Introduction

Pituitary enlargement has been reported in individuals with schizophrenic psychosis or an at-risk mental state for psychosis (ARMS). In a previous study, our group could show pituitary volume increase in first episode and ARMS patients with later transition to psychosis (ARMS-T). However, there are no longitudinal studies on this issue so far. We therefore examined longitudinally whether transition to psychosis would be accompanied by a further increase of pituitary volume in antipsychotic-naïve ARMS patients.

Methods

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from 23 antipsychotic-naïve individuals with an ARMS. Ten subjects developed psychosis (ARMS-T) and 13 did not (ARMS-NT). ARMS-T were re-scanned after the onset of psychosis, and ARMS-NT were re-scanned at the end of the study period.

Results

There was no significant difference of the pituitary volume between ARMS-T and ARMS-NT in our sample, and there were no significant pituitary volume changes over time.

Discussion

Longitudinally, we could not detect any further volumetric changes in the pituitary volume with transition to psychosis.

Conclusions

This, together with the result of our previous study, could indicate that the perceived level of stress in ARMS patients is constantly high from very early onward.

Keywords

ACTHHypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA-axis)neuroimagingprolactinschizophrenic psychosesstress
Type
Original Research
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 122 - 129
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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Footnotes

We would like to thank all patients who participated in the study, as well as Claudine Pfister and Laura Egloff for their help in preparing and editing this manuscript.

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