title: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a unifying neuroendocrine hypothesis through the adrenal-brain axis.
abstract: The clinical syndrome idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), also termed pseudotumor cerebri, consists of symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting and visual field defects in combination with findings of papilledema.  IIH is more commonly seen in overweight women where the rise in intracranial pressure is putatively a consequence of an endocrine-based disturbance of electrolytes. Less frequently, it can also occur in men and in the pediatric age group. Associated risk factors include primary and secondary aldosteronism, pregnancy, recombinant growth hormone (r-GH) therapy, oral contraceptives, obesity, vitamin A intoxication or deficiency, Addison disease, corticosteroid therapy or acute withdrawal of steroid therapy and Cushing disease. Herein, we review the association between these conditions and IIH working toward its having a unifying neuroendocrine hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Italy. salpietroenzo@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salpietro
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polizzi
authors.forename: Luca Francesco
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bertè
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chimenz
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chirico
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manti
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferraù
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salpietro
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arrigo
authors.forename: Martino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000503:physiopathology*