Endocrine Abstracts

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition characterised by raised intracranial pressure (ICP) that primarily affects obese women of reproductive age. The aetiology is poorly understood but involves imbalance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion and absorption. IIH patients share similar phenotypic characteristics to PCOS patients, a condition with a distinct androgen signature. We hypothesise that obesity and androgen excess maybe...

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition characterised by raised intracranial pressure (ICP) that primarily affects obese women of reproductive age. The aetiology is poorly understood but involves imbalance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion and absorption. IIH patients share similar phenotypic characteristics to PCOS patients, a condition with a distinct androgen signature. We hypothesise that obesity and androgen excess maybe...

Introduction: Obesity is associated with a plethora of metabolic and physiological side effects. Excess adiposity is associated with raised intracranial pressure (ICP) in obesity, where raised ICP sequalae include headache and visual decline in humans. We aimed to assess the effects of diet induced obesity (DIO) on ICP and related neuroophthalmological outcomes of headache behavior and retinal anatomy in rats.Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats received ...

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterised by raised intracranial pressure (ICP) and papilloedema, diagnosed primarily in obese women of reproductive age, with the incidence rising with the global epidemic of obesity. Weight-loss lowers ICP and treats IIH. No mechanism explains the link between obesity and raised ICP. We hypothesise that adipose tissue from IIH patients has a metabolically distinct profile that contributes to raised ICP. Our previous data demo...

Background: Current therapies for reducing raised intracranial pressure (ICP) in conditions such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension have limited efficacy and tolerability. As such, there is a pressing need to identify novel drugs. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists are used to treat diabetes and promote weight loss but have also been shown to affect fluid homeostasis in the kidney. Here, we investigate whether exendin-4, a GLP-1R agonist, is able to modula...

Background: Current therapies for reducing raised intracranial pressure (ICP) in conditions such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension have limited efficacy and tolerability. As such, there is a pressing need to identify novel drugs. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists are used to treat diabetes and promote weight loss but have also been shown to affect fluid homeostasis in the kidney. Here, we investigate whether exendin-4, a GLP-1R agonist, is able to modula...

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition of unknown aetiology characterised by raised intracranial pressure, chronic headaches and blindness. Akin to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), IIH patients are almost exclusively obese females of reproductive age. A distinct androgen excess profile has been noted in PCOS. Here, we aimed to delineate androgen metabolism in IIH compared to PCOS and simple obesity.Women w...

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition of unknown aetiology characterised by raised intracranial pressure, chronic headaches and blindness. Akin to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), IIH patients are almost exclusively obese females of reproductive age. A distinct androgen excess profile has been noted in PCOS. Here, we aimed to delineate androgen metabolism in IIH compared to PCOS and simple obesity.Women w...

Abstract: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a devastating neurological condition, with elevated intracranial pressure of unknown aetiology. IIH is largely a disease of obese females of reproductive age. The clinical phenotype of IIH overlaps with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with prevalent obesity, hyperandrogenism and anovulation. In this study, we aimed to delineate the androgen excess phenotype of IIH women compared to those with PCOS and simple obesity. Wo...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 10% of women and is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Androgen excess is an important driver of metabolic risk in PCOS. In adipose tissue from women with PCOS, increased activation of androstenedione (A4) to testosterone (T) by the enzyme AKR1C3 results in systemic lipotoxicity. Recent in-vitro studies also demonstrated that T and 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) activate the androgen recep...