title: Effects of anti-obsessional treatment on pituitary volumes in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to examine the effct of anti-obsessional drugs on pituitary gland volumes in the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of patients with OCD and of healthy controls were evaluated by using pituitary gland magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and after twelve weeks of treatment with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or clomipramine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pituitary gland volumes were found to be statistically significantly smaller in the patients with OCD compared to healthy control subjects at the beginning of the study. We found that pituitary volumes significantly increased throughout twelve weeks of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides an evidence of the effect of anti-obsessional treatment on the volumes of pituitary gland in OCD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Firat University, 23119 Elazig, Turkey, matmaca_p@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atmaca
authors.forename: Hanefi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mermi
authors.forename: M Gurkan
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Gurok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors