title: Pre-menopausal and post-menopausal depressed women.
abstract: In a consecutive series of 28 depressed women, pre-menopausal (n = 13) and post-menopausal (n = 15) patients were compared. Post-menopausal women had significantly higher levels of plasma norepinephrine, plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, post-dexamethasone plasma cortisol, cerebrospinal fluid 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and corticotropin-releasing hormone. However, when biologic measures were adjusted for age by analyses of covariance there were no significant differences. Pre-menopausal women had had significantly more life events before the onset of depression than post-menopausal women. The implications of these findings are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008016:Life Change Events; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine