Associations between early life stress and anterior pituitary gland volume development - A novel index of long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning

Carmela Diaz-Arteche; Julian G Simmons; Despina E Ganella; Orli Schwartz; Jee Hyun Kim; Paige Farrow; Sarah Whittle

Journal article

Associations between early life stress and anterior pituitary gland volume development - A novel index of long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning

Carmela Diaz-Arteche, Julian G Simmons, Despina E Ganella, Orli Schwartz, Jee Hyun Kim, Paige Farrow, Sarah Whittle

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY | WILEY | Published : 2021

DOI: 10.1002/dev.22047

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Abstract

Previous research has established associations between early life stress (ELS) and altered pituitary gland volume (PGV) growth during adolescence. The pituitary gland, however, is composed of an anterior and a posterior lobe with distinct histological and neuroendocrinological properties. While the anterior (but not posterior) pituitary gland is directly involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) stress response, no studies have examined the effects of ELS on anterior PGV (aPGV). The present study investigated whether previously reported associations between ELS and PGV development during adolescence were driven by aPGV versus posterior PGV (pPGV). Ninety-one adolescents (49 ..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Julian Simmons Author

Orli Schwartz Author

Sarah Whittle Author

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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

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Awarded by NHMRC Career Development Fellowship

Funding Acknowledgements

National Health and Medical Research Council, Grant/Award Number: 350241; Australian Research Council, Grant/Award Number: DP109 2637; NHMRC Career Development Fellowship, Grant/Award Number: APP1083309