Sex steroids and affect in the surgical menopause: a double-blind, cross-over study.
The effect of estrogen and/or androgen on mood in surgically menopausal women was investigated with a prospective, double-blind, cross-over design. Oophorectomized women who received either estrogen (E), androgen (A), or a combined estrogen-androgen preparation (E-A) parenterally attained lower depression scores during both treatment phases compared to a placebo group (PL), coincident with their higher plasma estrogen and testosterone levels. When steroids were withdrawn, depression scores of all oophorectomized women were significantly higher than those of a hysterectomized control group with intact ovaries (CON). The A group also had higher hostility scores than the E, PL, and CON groups. These data provide evidence of a covariation between circulating levels of estrogen and testosterone and certain affects in healthy women.
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D008594:Menopause, Premature / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol