title: Improvement of extrapyramidal symptoms following dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration in antipsychotic treated schizophrenia patients: a randomized, double-blind placebo controlled trial.
abstract: Recent investigation in schizophrenia indicated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels to be inversely correlated with extrapyramidal symptomatology (EPS). This study thus investigates the effect of DHEA administration on medication-induced EPS. Inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were randomized in double-blind fashion to receive either 100 mg DHEA or placebo in addition to a constant dosage of antipsychotic medication. Parkinsonism showed a favorable effect of DHEA with a significant time effect (p < 0.0001), as well as a significant group by time interaction (p < 0.05) and with no change noted on akathisia. Change of DHEA blood levels was negatively associated with change of Parkinsonism (p < 0.05) as well as with change of total EPS ratings (p < 0.05). DHEA appears to demonstrate a significant effect on EPS, with improvement observed particularly in Parkinsonian symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Beer Yaakov Mental Health Center, PO Box 1, Beer Yaakov 70350, Israel.
authors.forename: Tali
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nachshoni
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abramovitch
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Assael-Amir
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotler
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maayan
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weizman
authors.forename: Rael D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Strous
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000209:etiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010919:Placebos; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone