title: Glucocorticoids and hippocampal atrophy after heart transplantation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. asher.wilner@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Asher P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wilner
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Varennes
authors.forename: Pierre A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gregoire
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lupien
authors.forename: Jens C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pruessner
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids