Estrogen, menstrual cycle phases, and psychopathology in women suffering from schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Estrogen has been hypothesized to have a protective and antipsychotic-like effect in women at risk for schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between menstrual cycle and/or estrogen levels and psychotic symptoms in a sample of women with schizophrenia.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-five premenopausal women with schizophrenia and regular menses were examined. The levels of 17beta-estradiol and other hormones of the gonadal axis were assessed in the follicular, peri-ovulatory, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. The effects of the menstrual cycle phase and/or the estradiol level on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores were calculated by means of regression analyses.


RESULTS
Significant improvement in psychotic, but not depressive, symptoms was observed during the luteal phase, compared with other days of the menstrual cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings indicate that estradiol may have specific antipsychotic-like effects on the symptoms of schizophrenia. Thus further investigation into the therapeutic effect of estrogen may be worthwhile.
Bergemann
Niels
N
Department of General Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. niels.bergemann@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Parzer
Peter
P
Runnebaum
Benno
B
Resch
Franz
F
Mundt
Christoph
C
D000328:Adult; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D004967:Estrogens; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone