title: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) treatment of depression.
abstract: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate, DHEA-S, are plentiful adrenal steroid hormones that decrease with aging and may have significant neuropsychiatric effects. In this study, six middle-aged and elderly patients with major depression and low basal plasma DHEA f1p4or DHEA-S levels were openly administered DHEA (30-90 mg/d x 4 weeks) in doses sufficient to achieve circulating plasma levels observed in younger healthy individuals. Depression ratings, as well as aspects of memory performance significantly improved. One treatment-resistant patient received extended treatment with DHEA for 6 months: her depression ratings improved 48-72% and her semantic memory performance improved 63%. These measures returned to baseline after treatment ended. In both studies, improvements in depression ratings and memory performance were directly related to increases in plasma levels of DHEA and DHEA-S and to increases in their ratios with plasma cortisol levels. These preliminary data suggest DHEA may have antidepressant and promemory effects and should encourage double-blind trials in depressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine 94143-0984, USA.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Wolkowitz
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Reus
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Raum
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ormiston
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canick
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brizendine
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weingartner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone