Pituitary Volumes Are Reduced in Patients with Somatization Disorder

OBJECTIVE: Despite of the suggested physiological relationship between somatoform disorder and disturbances in HPA axis function no volumetric study of pituitary volumes in somatization disorder has been carried out. Therefore, we aimed to use structural MRI to evaluate the pituitary volumes of the patients with somatization disorder. METHODS: Eighteen female patients with somatization disorder according to DSM-IV and same number of healthy controls were included into the study. All subjects were scanned using a 1.5-T General Electric (GE; Milwaukee, USA) scanner. Pituitary volume measurements were determined by using manuallly tracings according to standard antomical atlases. RESULTS: It was found significantly smaller pituitary volumes of the whole group of somatization patients compared to healthy (t=-3.604, p=0.001). ANCOVA predicting pituitary volumes demonstrated a significant main effect of diagnostic group (F=13.530, p0.05) or age (F=1.159, p>0.05). It was determined that there was no significant correlation between smaller pituitary volumes and the duration of illness (r=0.16, p>0.05) in the patient group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we suggest that the patients with somatization disorder might have significantly smaller pituitary volumes compared to healthy control subjects.

Hippocampal Neurochemical Pathology in Patients with Panic Disorder

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we measured hippocampal N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA), choline (CHO) and creatine (CRE) values in patients with panic disorder and healthy control subjects using in vivo 1H MRS. METHODS: We scanned 20 patients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for panic disorder and 20 matched healthy controls with a 1.5 Tesla GE Signa Imaging System and measured of NAA, CHO, and CRE in hippocampal regions. RESULTS: When NAA, CHO and CRE values were compared between groups, statistically significant lower levels for all ones were detected for both sides. CONCLUSION: Consequently, in the present study we found that NAA, CHO and CRE values of the patients with panic disorder were lower than those healthy controls. Future studies involving a large number of panic patients may shed further light on the generalizability of the current findings to persons with panic disorder.

Orbito-Frontal Cortex Volumes in Panic Disorder

OBJECTIVE: Given the association between the pathophysiology of panic disorder and prefrontal cortex function, we aimed to perform a volumetric MRI study in patients with panic disorder and healthy controls focusing on the in vivo neuroanatomy of the OFC. METHODS: Twenty right-handed patients with panic disorder and 20 right-handed healthy control subjects were studied. The volumes of whole brain, total white and gray matters, and OFC were measured by using T1-weighted coronal MRI images, with 1.5-mm-thick slices, at 1.5T. In addition, for psychological valuation, Hamilton Depression Rating (HDRS) and Panic Agoraphobia Scales (PAS) were administered. RESULTS: Unadjusted mean volumes of the whole brain volume, total white and gray matter were not different between the patients and healthy controls while the patient group had significantly smaller left (t=-6.70, p<0.0001) and right (t=-5.86, p<0.0001) OFC volumes compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate an alteration of OFC morphology in the panic disorder and suggest that OFC abnormalities may be involved in the pathophysiology of panic disorder.

Do Defense Styles of Ego Relate to Volumes of Orbito-Frontal Cortex in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

OBJECTIVE: Although the importance of orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) is established in the pathogenesis of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), no study have evaluated its relation to the traditional psychodynamic perspective. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the defense styles consisting of mature, immature and neurotic defenses and OFC volumes of patients with OCD. METHODS: Subjects were selected among those of our previous study, and so eighteen patients with OCD and same number of healthy controls were took into the study. The patients and controls had underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, the Defense Style Questionnaire-40 was administered to obtain defense styles of patients and controls. RESULTS: No significant relationship was found between the right OFC volumes of both the patient and control groups and their scores of mature, neurotic, or immature defense mechanisms. As for the left OFC volumes, the only significant relationship for the scores of immature defense mechanism was found in the patient group. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicated that there was no significant relationship between OFC volumes of the patient group and their scores of mature, neurotic, or immature defense mechanisms, except a significant relation with the scores of immature defense mechanisms.

Volume assessment of age-related conversion of the tympanic cavity by helical computerized tomography scanning

To investigate the right-left asymmetry, and gender and age groups differences of the tympanic cavities [TC] using the Cavalieri principle for volume calculation on temporal bone computerized tomography [CT] scans. This study was carried out over a 4-year period from 2000 to 2004 at Firat University, School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey. The areas of the cavities were measured using trace and area measurement functions of CT scanner, and by multiplying the area by slice thickness [0.2 cm] and the volume of each slice was calculated. By summing all volumes of every slice based on the Cavalieri principle for volume calculation, the total volumes were obtained and analyzed. The mean [SD] volumes of right and left tympanic cavities in males were 0.52 [0.15] versus 0.55 [0.14] cm3 and in females were 0.45 [0.16] versus 0.49 [0.14] cm3, and there were statistically significant differences between males and females in both right and left sides [p=0.028 and p=0.043]. There was a statistically significant difference in left TC volumes between age groups [p=0.019]. However, no differences by age were noted for right TC volumes [p=0.065]. A strong correlation was found between right and left volumes. However, there were no strong correlations between age and volumes of right and left cavities in both males and females, although the volumes increased by aging. These results should help surgeons and radiologists to update their knowledge for evaluation of the middle ear region