Glucocorticoids and hippocampal atrophy after heart transplantation.
The glucocorticoid cascade hypothesis proposes that hippocampal atrophy may result from excessive steroid exposure. Although demonstrated in animal models and some human hypercortisolemic states, hippocampal damage as a possible consequence of posttransplant steroid immunosuppression has not been investigated in human heart transplant recipients. We report a case of a 37-year-old female heart transplant recipient who had the clinical, neuropsychiatric, and neuroimaging findings consistent with hippocampal atrophy after 5 years of steroid exposure.
Wilner
Asher P
AP
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. asher.wilner@mcgill.ca
de Varennes
Benoit
B
Gregoire
Pierre A
PA
Lupien
Sonia
S
Pruessner
Jens C
JC
D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced*
D005938:Glucocorticoids