Basal plasma hormone levels in depressed perimenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
An association between abnormal changes in reproductive endocrine function during the perimenopause and the onset of depression in some women has been suggested but remains controversial.


METHODS
We examined basal plasma hormone levels in two samples of women with well characterized, first onset depression (major or minor) during the perimenopause and matched comparison groups of asymptomatic women. Results were compared by analysis of variance.


RESULTS
No significant diagnosis-related differences were observed in plasma hormone measures of the following: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), total (T) or free testosterone (FT), or the E2/LH ratio. We did identify significantly lower morning plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphated metabolite DHEA-S (but not cortisol) levels in the depressed women compared to the non-depressed comparison group. Women with hot flushes (regardless of the presence of depression) were significantly older than women without flushes, had significantly higher plasma levels of FT, LH and FSH, and had significantly lower E2/LH ratios.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with first onset depression during the perimenopause are not distinguished from controls on the basis of basal hormone measures of ovarian estrogens, testosterone, or gonadotropins. However, perimenopause-related changes in E2 may interact with low levels of DHEA in some women to increase their vulnerability to develop depression. In contrast to perimenopause-related vasomotor symptoms, depression during the perimenopause is not associated with a simple hormone deficiency state. The relatively low levels of E2 and E1 in the depressed women may have met statistical significance in a much larger and homogenous sample.
Schmidt
P J
PJ
NIMH, Building 10, Room 3N-238, 10 Center Drive MSC 1276, Bethesda, MD 20892-1276, USA. schmidtp@intra.nimh.nih.gov
Murphy
J H
JH
Haq
N
N
Danaceau
M A
MA
St  Clair
L
L
D000328:Adult; D002979:Climacteric; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D006728:Hormones; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone