Pituitary gland volume in patients with schizophrenia, subjects at ultra high-risk of developing psychosis and healthy controls: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology Vol. 38; no. 11; pp. 2394 - 2404
• Main Authors: Nordholm, Dorte, Krogh, Jesper, Mondelli, Valeria, Dazzan, Paola, Pariante, Carmine, Nordentoft, Merete
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hormones and behavior; HPA axis; Humans; Hypertrophy - pathology; Hypofysis; Medical sciences; Meta-analysis; MRI; Pituitary; Pituitary Gland - pathology; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Psychosis; Psychotic Disorders - drug therapy; Psychotic Disorders - pathology; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia - pathology; Schizotypal Personality Disorder - drug therapy; Schizotypal Personality Disorder - pathology; Sex Characteristics; Psychosis; MRI; Pituitary; Schizophrenia; HPA axis; Hypofysis; Meta-analysis; Human; High risk; Endocrine gland; Healthy subject; Hypothalamohypophysoadrenal axis; Review; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Metaanalysis; Risk factor; Development; Pituitary gland

A larger pituitary size is thought to reflect a greater activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, which may be related to an increase in the number and size of corticotroph cells. Some studies, but not all, indicate that pituitary volume increases before or at the onset of psychos...