Endocrine Abstracts

We present the case of 88 year old lady who presented with long standing history of diarrhoea (18 months). She had been previously investigated under the gastroenterologists with various tests including upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy. In view of deterioration of symptoms she was admitted under the geriatric team as she could no longer cope with the diarrhoea. On examination she looked well and had fullness in the right hypochondrial region. Blood tests showed abnormal live...

Using functional MRI, we examined how regional brain activity varies with nutritional state when viewing food pictures of different caloric density and appeal.Eighteen non-obese healthy volunteers (BMI 22.2±0.5 kg/m2, age range 19–36 years, 8 male) were studied on 2 separate mornings after an overnight fast (mean±S.E.M. 15.5±0.3 h) or when fed (1.2±0.1 h after breakfast, food intake 45±4% of estimat...

Background: Ovarian steroid action is not limited to the gonadal–pituitary–hypothalamic axis. A recent pre-clinical investigation by Sutcliffe et al. (2007) suggests female sex steroids influence learning and memory strategies. However, data from human trials involving various hormone replacement regimens and assessment of memory in pregnancy appear equivocal.Pregnancy allows overriding of regulatory feedback loops leading to elevation o...

Patients with craniopharyngioma have increased mortality attributed to cardiorespiratory disease, when compared to other hypopituitary populations. There is little data on the cause for excess of fatal respiratory disease in this condition. Clinical observation had identified sleep apnoea in some craniopharyngioma patients in our cohort. Sleep apnoea increases cerebrovascular and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Our hypothesis was that sleep apnoea could be a contributo...

Introduction: The Nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (NSIAD) is an X-linked condition characterised by reduced renal water clearance and hyponatraemia resulting from gain of function mutations in the type 2 Vasopressin (AVP) receptor (AVPR2). Female carriers were thought not to express a phenotype. We describe a kindred with NSIAD, highlighting molecular and physiological characteristics that extend understanding of this condition and of AVP production.<p c...

Introduction: Craniopharyngiomas constitute 2–5% of all primary CNS neoplasms. We retrospectively analysed the case records of all patients with craniopharyngioma treated in our hospital from 1996 to 2006.Results: One hundred and twenty-seven patients were treated during this period. 65% were male and 35% were female. 50 patients (39%) were <15 yrs of age. The maximum clustering of cases was in the 6–15 yr age group (37%).<p class="abs...

Background: Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor used in the treatment of obesity. Recent published work has shown that orlistat may have a role in affecting the release of appetite regulating gastrointestinal derived peptides. However, the precise effect of orlistat on these hormones remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of orlistat with a high fat meal on levels of plasma Peptide YY (PYY) and on appetite.Methods: Ethical perm...

Animals that are socially isolated for extended periods show behavioural and physiological changes, including alterations in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity. However, there is conflicting data regarding the effects of social isolation on the HPA axis, with studies indicating increased1, decreased2 and unchanged3 corticosterone levels following social isolation. We investigated the effects of social isolation on HPA activity ...

The main pathological finding in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the loss of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra (SNc). Current dopamine-replacement therapies alleviate symptoms but do not prevent disease progression. The pathophysiology of PD is unknown, but oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have been implicated. A better understanding of the cause of dopaminergic cell death may lead to the discovery of new therapies that can slow disease progression.<p class...

History: A 36 year old gentleman was referred to the endocrine clinic with symptoms of fatigue, absent libido and erectile dysfunction. He had a previous history of pulmonary sarcoidosis in 2000 and he was taking no medications. Examination revealed a known Right sided Horner’s syndrome and no other abnormality.Investigations: Testosterone 1.8 nmol/l, FSH and LH<0.5, Prolactin 798 mU/l, Cortisol 507 nmol/l, ACE 67 (47–60 IU/l), CSF protein ...

Leptin is an adipocytokine with a role in appetite, energy expenditure and reproductive regulation. In normal, non-obese individuals, leptin levels are higher in females, independent of differences in body fat between the genders. High levels of leptin that were disproportionate to body mass index (BMI) have been reported in craniopharyngioma patients, thus we hypothesised that surgical resection and hypothalamic damage conferred leptin resistance on craniopharyngioma patients...