An MRI study of pituitary volume and parasuicidal behavior in teenagers with first-presentation borderline personality disorder

Jovev, Martina; Garner, Belinda; Phillips, Lisa; Velakoulis, Dennis; Wood, Stephen J.; Jackson, Henry J.; Pantelis, Christos; McGorry, Patrick D.; Chanen, Andrew M.

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.12.003

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 162, Issue 3 , Pages 273-277, 15 April 2008

An MRI study of pituitary volume and parasuicidal behavior in teenagers with first-presentation borderline personality disorder

Martina Jovev
- ORYGEN Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Belinda Garner
- ORYGEN Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Lisa Phillips
- School of Behavioural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Dennis Velakoulis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
Stephen J. Wood
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
- Brain Research Institute, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Henry J. Jackson
- ORYGEN Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Behavioural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Christos Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, and Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
Patrick D. McGorry
- ORYGEN Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- ORYGEN Youth Health, Northwestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia
Andrew M. Chanen
- ORYGEN Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- ORYGEN Youth Health, Northwestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia
- Corresponding author. ORYGEN Research Centre, Locked Bag 10, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 3052. Tel.: +61 3 9342 2800; fax: +61 3 9387 3003.

Received 28 November 2007; accepted 18 December 2007.

Abstract

This structural magnetic resonance imaging study examined the relationship between pituitary gland volume (PGV) and lifetime number of parasuicidal behaviors in a first-presentation, teenage borderline personality disorder (BPD) sample with minimal exposure to treatment. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that age and number of parasuicidal behaviors were significant predictors of PGV. These findings indicate that parasuicidal behavior in BPD might be associated with greater activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Further studies are required using direct neuroendocrine measures and exploring other parameters of self-injurious behavior, such as recency of self-injurious behavior, intent to die and medical threat.

Keywords: Self-injurious behavior, Pituitary gland, Adolescence