Various risks of osteoporosis in patients with pituitary adenomas.

Some pituitary adenomas seem to be related to bone loss. It is unknown what kinds of pituitary adenomas affect bone mass. We attempted to determine what kinds of pituitary adenomas caused osteoporosis, and whether hormonal disturbance in pituitary adenoma patients affected bone mass. This study included 53 surgical patients (39 women of premenopausal age and 14 men) aged 21 to 62 years. We measured vertebral bone mineral density (BMD); various bone metabolic parameters, such as serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and blood urea nitrogen, parathormone, vitamin D, vitamin K, and hormonal activity in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Comparisons were made of the mean Z scores (the ratio to the mean BMD of age-matched healthy Japanese women and men) among patient groups and controls. Compared with the female controls, the mean Z score was significantly higher in the women with acromegalic adenoma and significantly lower in those with adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-secreting adenoma. In male patients, the mean Z scores were significantly decreased in prolactin-secreting adenoma and nonfunctioning adenoma, compared with that in normal controls. Acromegalic adenoma contributes significantly to vertebral bone mass acquisition, although ACTH adenoma may carry a significant risk of osteoporosis in female patients. Male patients with prolactin-secreting and nonfunctioning adenoma have a significant risk of bone decrease.

Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on forced swimming test.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) have been shown to affect mood in health and disease. Evidence to date has demonstrated an antidepressant potential for rTMS and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The present experiment, aimed at comparing the effects of ECS and rTMS in rats, employed one test used for screening of antidepressant activity: the forced swimming test (FST). In this study, the authors investigated whether chronic rTMS influenced active behavior in the rat FST, similar to ECS. Male Wistar rats received rTMS treatment daily, for 10 days as is commonly used for ECT treatment. Control rats received sham treatment by placing the stimulation coil in a perpendicular position to the rat's head. Passing a current through earclip electrodes for 1 s induced ECS. The control animals were treated identically, but current was not applied. The FST was carried out 24 h after the last rTMS or ECS. The immobility time in the FST was not significantly affected by rTMS and ECS for 1 day. The immobility time in the FST was significantly shortened at rTMS and ECS for 10 days. Chronic treatment with rTMS, similar to chronic treatment with ECS, decreased the immobility time in the FST. These results indicate that chronic treatment with rTMS might have antidepressant effect similar to chronic treatment with ECS.