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DHEA Products
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DHEA
Frequently asked questions
General
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Therapeutic
uses
DHEA and depression
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Dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA)
treatment of depression
by
Wolkowitz OM; Reus VI; Roberts E; Manfredi F;
Chan T; Raum WJ; Ormiston S; Johnson R;
Canick J; Brizendine L; Weingartner H
Department of Psychiatry,
University of California,
San Francisco, School of Medicine 94143-0984, USA
Biol Psychiatry, 1997 Feb, 41:3, 311-8
ABSTRACT
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Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate,
DHEA-S, are plentiful adrenal steroid hormones that decrease
with aging and may have significant neuropsychiatric effects.
In this study, six middle-aged and elderly patients with
major depression and low basal plasma DHEA f1p4or DHEA-S
levels were openly administered DHEA (30-90 mg/d x 4 weeks)
in doses sufficient to achieve circulating plasma levels
observed in younger healthy individuals. Depression ratings,
as well as aspects of memory performance significantly
improved. One treatment-resistant patient received extended
treatment with DHEA for 6 months: her depression ratings
improved 48-72% and her semantic memory performance improved
63%. These measures returned to baseline after treatment
ended. In both studies, improvements in depression ratings
and memory performance were directly related to increases
in plasma levels of DHEA and DHEA-S and to increases in
their ratios with plasma cortisol levels. These preliminary
data suggest DHEA may have antidepressant and promemory
effects and should encourage double-blind trials in depressed
patients.
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