title: [Therapy with dehidroepiandrosterone improves symptoms in perimenopausal women].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depressive symptoms that occur with the onset of menopause are accompanied by changes in circulating neurotransmitters levels; these biochemical variations are considered to cause psychoemotional symptoms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of DHEAsupplementation and its efficacy for relieving symptoms of emotional and psychological distress, as well as the action on circulating neurotransmitters in perimenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open, comparative, clinical study included twenty perimenopausal women who received oral DHEA doses and ten women acted as comparison group.
  
  
  METHODS
  the Endocrine Research Unit, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City. Interventions and main outcome measures consisted of oral DHEA doses of 50 mg/day for six months. Green scale for climacteric women and Quality of Life Menopause Scale (QUALMS) were used to measure emotional and psychological symptoms and well-being. Serum levels of DHEA-S, dopamine, serotonin, and beta-endorphin were quantified by specific assays at baseline and at the end of the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alleviation of psychoemotional symptoms was observed in all but 4 treated women. Baseline levels of serum DHEA-S, serotonin and beta-endorphin increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 2.1 +/- 0.5 to 8.3 +/- 2.1 micromol/L, 215.3 +/- 86.4 to 310.4 + 150.1 ng/mL, and from 9.8 +/- 2.1 to 16.2 +/- 7.1 pmol/L respectively (means +/- SE) after treatment. In contrast, dopamine levels were unchanged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DHEA relieved emotional and psychological symptoms, and elevated both serotonin and beta-endorphin levels in perimenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Centro Médico Nacional, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, DF México.
authors.forename: Marcelino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández Valencia
authors.forename: Leobardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Angeles
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saucedo
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Basurto
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zárate
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D004298:Dopamine