title: Serum DHEA-S concentration correlates with clinical symptoms and neurocognitive function in patients with bipolar II disorder: A case-controlled study.
abstract: Dysregulation of the neuroendocrine system including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and pregnenolone may play a role in the pathophysiology of bipolar II disorder (BP-II). The aims of the current study are to determine (a) the differences in DHEA, DHEA-S and pregnenolone in patients with BP-II and controls; and (b) the correlation of levels of the above hormones, cognitive function, and clinical symptoms.
  
  
  
  Patients diagnosed with BP-II and healthy controls were recruited from psychiatric department. Blood samples were collected to measure the levels of DHEA, DHEA-S and pregnenolone in all participants, followed by assessment of cognitive function using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Affective Disorders (BACA).
  
  
  
  A total of 32 patients BP-II and 30 healthy control subjects were recruited. The BP-II group was found with significantly elder age, fewer years of education, and lower BACA composite scores compared to the healthy controls. The level of DHEA-S was significantly associated with performance in BACA when controlling for age, gender, years of education and having BP-II (P=0.018). The DHEA-S level was significantly correlated with mania score (r=-0.498, P=0.010).
  
  
  
  Our findings support that serum level of DHEA-S may be a biomarker representing clinical manic symptoms and cognitive performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: shirleylee.ncku@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sheng-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Liang-Jen
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Hsien
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Behavioral Medicine Sciences, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ru-Band
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000378:metabolism; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D011284:Pregnenolone
keywords: BACA; Bipolar II disorder; Cognitive function; DHEA-S; Neuroendocrine