Objective: The beneficial effects of psychopharmacological and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on the brain are not well understood. In a previous study, we found smaller pituitary volumes in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of CBT on pituitary gland volume. Methods: A total of 81 patients with various anxiety disorders and the same number of healthy controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging, and their pituitary gland volumes were compared at baseline. Pituitary gland volumes were also measured before and after CBT in the patient group. Results: OCD patients had smaller pituitary gland volumes at baseline than healthy controls (0.54±0.29 cm3 for OCD patients vs. 0.82±0.30 cm3 for healthy controls; p < 0.001). We found no significant changes in OCD patient pituitary gland volume after the 16-week treatment period, with mean pre- and post-treatment values of 0.54±0.29 cm3 and 0.56±0.32 cm3, respectively (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate an absence of post-CBT volumetric changes in the pituitary gland of OCD patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of oxidant/antioxidant status and protein oxidation in the development of age-related macular degeneration. METHOD: The activities of serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and the levels of serum malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, glutathione and vitamin C were measured in 25 patients with age-related macular degeneration and 25 control subjects without age-related macular degeneration. RESULT: The malondialdehyde and advanced oxidation protein product levels in the serum were significantly higher in the age-related macular degeneration patient group than in the control group (p<0.05). The superoxide dismutase activity in the serum was significantly lower in the age-related macular degeneration patient group than in the control group (p<0.05). The levels of vitamin C and glutathione and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the serum were unchanged between groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that decreased effectiveness of the antioxidant defense system and increased oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.