About the menopausal depression.
BACKGROUND
According to studies performed in the last some years, several factors may increase the risk for depression during menopause to occur. Perimenopause, the period mostly associated an increase in the rate of depressive symptomatology, is characterised by decline of estrogen level. But the other changing reproductive physiology, as progesterone, inhibin level, CNS activity of gonadal steroids may have role in depression during menopause.


METHODS
We enrolled 40 patients with major depression (women's age range 39-51 years). In the open label clinical trial 10-10 of them had fluoxetine, estrogen, the combination of fluoxetine and estrogen or fluoxetine and cognitive psychotherapy. The measurement was made by the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Duration of the treatment was six weeks.


RESULTS
From the 10-10 depressed patients 4 improved by estrogen, 6-6 by the combination of antidepressant and estrogen or fluoxetine alone, but 8 with combination of antidepressants cognitive psychotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of antidepressant and psychotherapy the best solution for the treatment of menopausal depression, but the therapy must be individual.
National Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Budapest, Hungary.
Peter
P
Gaszner
D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D004967:Estrogens; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors