Higher cortisol levels are associated with smaller left hippocampal volume in first-episode psychosis.
This study investigated the relationship between cortisol secretion and hippocampal volume in first-episode psychosis and healthy controls. Hippocampal volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 24 first-episode psychosis patients and in 18 healthy controls, together with diurnal cortisol levels. Twelve patients received a second MRI scan at 3-month follow-up. Diurnal cortisol levels were inversely correlated with left hippocampal volume in patients, both at baseline and at follow-up, while no correlation was found in controls. Our findings suggest that smaller hippocampal volume in first-episode psychosis can partly be explained by stress-related processes in the brain, as measured by cortisol hyper-secretion.
Mondelli
Valeria
V
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. valeria.mondelli@kcl.ac.uk
Pariante
Carmine M
CM
Navari
Serena
S
Aas
Monica
M
D'Albenzio
Alessandro
A
Di Forti
Marta
M
Handley
Rowena
R
Hepgul
Nilay
N
Marques
Tiago Reis
TR
Taylor
Heather
H
Papadopoulos
Andrew S
AS
Aitchison
Katherine J
KJ
Murray
Robin M
RM
Dazzan
Paola
P
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*
D006854:Hydrocortisone