title: Early life stress alters pituitary growth during adolescence-a longitudinal study.
abstract: The pituitary gland is integral in mediating the stress-response via its role in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Pituitary gland volume (PGV) is altered in stress-related psychopathology, and one study to date has shown stress to be associated with age-related PGV change during adolescence. The current study investigated the effects of a number of different types of early life (i.e., childhood and adolescent) stress (including childhood maltreatment, stressful life events, and maternal affective behavior) on PGV development from mid- to late adolescence using a longitudinal design. The influence of PGV development on depressive and anxiety symptoms was also investigated. Ninety one (49 male) adolescents took part in mother-child dyadic interaction tasks when they were approximately 12 years old, reported on childhood maltreatment and stressful life events when they were approximately 15 years old, and underwent two waves of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, when they were approximately 16 and 19 years old. Results revealed that childhood maltreatment predicted accelerated PGV development in females, and maternal dysphoric behavior predicted accelerated PGV development in the whole sample. PGV development was not associated with depressive or anxiety symptoms. These results suggest an effect of early life stress on altered HPA axis function across mid- to late adolescence. Further research is required to assess functional implications and whether these changes might be associated with risk for subsequent psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Despina E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Ganella
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, The Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Julian G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Orli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Jee Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR 97403 USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheeber
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, and Melbourne Health, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: swhittle@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whittle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000342:Affective Symptoms; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009035:Mothers; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000254:growth & development*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence; Development; Magnetic resonance imaging; Maternal care; Pituitary gland; Stress