Is There Any Effect of The Seasonal Changes on the Pituitary Gland Morphometry?

Year 2019, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 1 - 4, 01.01.2019

Ozan Turamanlar , Erdal Horata , Çiğdem Özer Gökaslan , Tolga Ertekin

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine retrospectively whether the seasonal changes were an effect on the pituitary gland volume by examining magnetic resonance imaging taken during summer and winter seasons of same person. Adaptation to seasonal changes is important for survival in all living things. Although, it is known that the pituitary gland activity may vary in different seasons, the articles examining the effects of seasonal changes on the pituitary morphometry is very few in the literature. Magnetic resonance imaging examinations taken in summer and winter months for same person and morphometric measurements of pituitary gland were performed on magnetic resonance images of 29 male adult person who had no pathological findings. We determined that the increase in the pituitary gland volumes in the summer months was statistically significant compared to the winter. There was statistically insignificant an increasing in pituitary gland height and transverse diameter in summer months. The effects of seasons on hormones and glands are known. However, the effect of the seasonal cycle on the pituitary gland morphometry has not been sufficiently investigated. The results of our study show that the pituitary gland volume increases in summer. We believe that this information will lead to physicians working on the pituitary.

Keywords

Seasonal changes, Pituitary gland volume, Morphometry

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