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.

Annals of the New York Academy of SciencesVolume 774, Issue 1 p. 337-339 Antidepressant and Cognition-Enhancing Effects of DHEA in Major Depression O. M. WOLKOWITZ, O. M. WOLKOWITZ Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorV. I. REUS, V. I. REUS Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorE. ROBERTS, E. ROBERTS Department of Neurobiochemistry City of Hope Duarte, California 91010Search for more papers by this authorF. MANFREDI, F. MANFREDI Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorT. CHAN, T. CHAN Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorS. ORMISTON, S. ORMISTON Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorR. JOHNSON, R. JOHNSON Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorJ. CANICK, J. CANICK Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorL. BRIZENDINE, L. BRIZENDINE Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorH. WEINGARTNER, H. WEINGARTNER National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism Bethesda, Maryland 20892Search for more papers by this author O. M. WOLKOWITZ, O. M. WOLKOWITZ Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorV. I. REUS, V. I. REUS Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorE. ROBERTS, E. ROBERTS Department of Neurobiochemistry City of Hope Duarte, California 91010Search for more papers by this authorF. MANFREDI, F. MANFREDI Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorT. CHAN, T. CHAN Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorS. ORMISTON, S. ORMISTON Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorR. JOHNSON, R. JOHNSON Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorJ. CANICK, J. CANICK Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorL. BRIZENDINE, L. BRIZENDINE Department of Psychiatry UCSF San Francisco, California 94143–0984Search for more papers by this authorH. WEINGARTNER, H. WEINGARTNER National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism Bethesda, Maryland 20892Search for more papers by this author First published: December 1995 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1995.tb17403.x-i1Citations: 68AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume774, Issue1Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and AgingDecember 1995Pages 337-339 RelatedInformation