Flach, Elisa; Koenig, Julian; van der Venne, Patrice; Parzer, Peter; Resch, Franz; Kaess, Michael (2021). Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis function in female adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury and its association with comorbid borderline personality disorder and depression. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 111, p. 110345. Elsevier 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110345
|
Text
1-s2.0-S0278584621001044-main.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY). Download (407kB) | Preview |
Objectives: Behavioral disturbances in adolescence are potentially linked to aberrant functioning of the thyroid gland. Accordingly, alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis might impact psychopathological development. Yet corresponding research in adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and comorbid mental disorders is scarce.
Methods: The present study examined HPT axis functioning in adolescents with NSSI compared to healthy controls (HC) using blood-based assays of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and the ratio of these hormones (fT3/fT4 ratio). Cortisol was additionally examined to contrast HPT axis functioning with a well-established biomarker of stress responsivity. Moreover, associations between clinical characteristics, HPT axis and HPA axis functioning were investigated. Female adolescents meeting NSSI criteria according to DSM-5 criteria (n = 117) were compared to adolescent HC (n = 41). Standardized serum-based endocrinological assays and interview- and questionnaire-based psychiatric assessments were used. Smoking status was included as covariate for all analyses.
Results: NSSI patients displayed altered HPT axis functioning as fT3/fT4 ratio values were blunted in comparison to HC. Negative correlations were further present between fT3, fT3/fT4 ratio and severity of BPD symptoms, depression scores and symptomatic distress. TSH correlated negatively with severity of BPD symptoms and symptomatic distress exclusively. Cortisol values differed neither significantly between experimental groups nor correlated significantly with clinical characteristics.
Conclusions: Longitudinal examinations, assessing links between psychopathology and endocrinological alterations, are warranted to address potential clinical implications of thyroid markers in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy 04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Research Division |
UniBE Contributor: |
Koenig, Julian, Kaess, Michael |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health |
ISSN: |
0278-5846 |
Publisher: |
Elsevier |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Chantal Michel |
Date Deposited: |
12 Jan 2022 10:45 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 15:56 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110345 |
PubMed ID: |
33964324 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/162318 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/162318 |
Actions (login required)
 |
Edit item |