Here there seems to be a bit of a 'try to turn facts around' by psychiatry playing at real science - maybe they should leave this in the field of endocrinology.
Whereas there's tons of documentation (search engine 'enlarged pituitary gland') where endocrinology shows that both physical and psychological symptoms occur when the pituitary gland is enlarged (except when it doubles in size during pregnancy) because of the influence the pituitary glands have on hormones, and this can be due to tumor etc:
below it appears to be the case that as its psychiatrists instead of scientists having an attempt at research again - its the psychological symptoms that are causing the pituitary enlargement (or 'stress causing changes in the brain'). A bit topsy turvey, but historically predictable and all in a good cause - to enhance pharmaceutical profit levels and their own steps up the money & eminence ladder from psychotropic drugs.
Melbourne Health page 3 (Spring 2004 - maybe its a non-runner by now)
http://www.mh.org.au/library/pdf/39/11.pdf
Researchers probe stress link in schizophrenia
I n a world first, Melbourne researchers have discovered brain changes that may be linked to high stress levels in young people as they develop
schizophrenia.
Opening the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre (MNC) at RMH in September, Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the facility’s world-leading research could help identify new ways to delay or prevent brain changes in schizophrenia sufferers.
Ms Pike said the Centre’s initial research found that the pituitary gland in the brain, that produces stress hormones, was larger in young people at the beginning of a schizophrenic or psychotic illness.
“Working closely with Melbourne’s ORYGEN Research Centre, MNC researchers are investigating how high stress levels may lead to brain changes which could be prevented by early treatment,” she said.
The Bracks Government is jointly funding the $7 million venture in partnership with the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Health, Neurosciences Victoria and Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine.
Young people aged between 18 and 24 are more likely to develop psychotic disorders including schizophrenia, than at any other time in their life.
Ms Pike said the establishment of the Centre offered significant promise and hope for people at risk of experiencing mental illness.
“Neuropsychiatric disorders are the leading cause of disability, resulting in
significant personal and financial cost to our community,” she said.
“In fact, if the incidence of schizophrenia was reduced by 25 per cent, more than $500 million would be saved in costs to the community each year.
“Research undertaken at the Centre offers hope in helping us understand how mental health disorders develop, and may allow more effective treatments to be developed.”
The Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre brings together two of Victoria’s premier neuropsychiatric services at Sunshine Hospital and The Royal Melbourne Hospital into one centre of clinical, research and academic excellence.
The Centre also includes a state-of-the-art brain imaging laboratory at the
National Neuroscience Facility, which holds more than 1500 MRI brain scans, including 200 scans of pre-psychotic high-risk individuals.
[NB: Pre-psychotic? What does that imply?]
Health Minister Bronwyn Pike with Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre Scientific Director, Professor Christos Pantelis (right) and
Clinical Director Dr Dennis Velakoulis (left), looking at MRI brains scans which are used as part of their research. "