Association of estrogen levels with neuropsychological performance in women with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine the relationship of estrogen levels with psychiatric symptoms and neuropsychological function in female patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
Psychiatric symptoms were assessed and average estrogen and progesterone levels from four consecutive weekly blood samples were measured in 22 female inpatients with schizophrenia who were also administered a neuropsychological battery.


RESULTS
There were strong positive correlations between average estrogen level and cognitive function, especially measures of global cognitive function, verbal and spatial declarative memory, and perceptual-motor speed. Correlations of hormone levels with psychiatric symptoms were nonsignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher estrogen levels in female patients with schizophrenia are associated with better cognitive ability. These results may have implications for potential treatment of cognitive dysfunction with adjunctive estrogen in female patients with schizophrenia.
Hoff
A L
AL
University of California, Davis-Napa Psychiatric Research Center, Napa State Hospital, CA 94558, USA. alhoff@ucdavis.edu
Kremen
W S
WS
Wieneke
M H
MH
Lauriello
J
J
Blankfeld
H M
HM
Faustman
W O
WO
Csernansky
J G
JG
Nordahl
T E
TE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D004967:Estrogens; D011374:Progesterone