Sex-specific prediction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity by pituitary volume during adolescence: A longitudinal study from 12 to 17 years of age

M Kaess; JG Simmons; S Whittle; M Jovev; AM Chanen; M Yücel; C Pantelis; NB Allen

Journal article

Sex-specific prediction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity by pituitary volume during adolescence: A longitudinal study from 12 to 17 years of age

M Kaess, JG Simmons, S Whittle, M Jovev, AM Chanen, M Yücel, C Pantelis, NB Allen

Psychoneuroendocrinology | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD | Published : 2013

DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.028

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the longitudinal relationship between pituitary gland volume (PGV) and parameters of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) functioning during adolescence. Methods: Participants were 49 adolescents (19 girls and 30 boys) selected from a larger longitudinal, population-based study of adolescent development. Assessments were conducted at three time points (S1, S2 and S3). MRI sessions were at S1 (age: M= 12.62, SD = 0.45 years) and S3 (M= 16.48, SD = 0.53 years) and multiple assessments of salivary cortisol were undertaken at S2 (M= 15.51, SD = 0.35 years). PGV was measured via previously validated manual tracing methods, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) ..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Julian Simmons Author

Sarah Whittle Author

Andrew Chanen Author

Christos Pantelis Author

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the Colonial Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC; Australia; Program Grant 350241) and the Australian Research Council (ARC; Discovery Grant DP0878136). Dr. Whittle is supported by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (ID: 1007716). Prof. Yucel is supported by an NHMRC Fellowship Award (ID: 1021973). Prof. Pantelis is supported by a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship (ID: 628386).