A recent study has linked glucocorticoid usage to changes in the structure and volume of white and gray matter in the brain . These effects were more significant in systemic glucocorticoid users than in inhaled glucocorticoid users. MRI scan results showed that both systemic (n = 222) and inhaled (n = 557) glucocorticoid use were associated with less intact white matter structure compared to the non-users (n = 24,106). Systemic glucocorticoid users had a larger caudate than non-users, while inhaled glucocorticoid users had a smaller amygdala.
Systemic glucocorticoid users showed inferior processing speed and reported significantly more depressive symptoms, apathy, restlessness, and lethargy than non-users. Inhaled glucocorticoid users reported only lethargy, but to a lesser degree than systemic glucocorticoid users. The study findings…
