X-Message-Number: 8125 Date: Tue, 22 Apr 1997 20:25:22 +0200 (MET DST) From: Eugene Leitl <> Subject: CRYONICS FYI:DHEA, Alzheimer's Disease, and Depression (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 10:17:28 GMT From: James Howard <> To: "bionet.neuroscience mail newsgroup" <> Subject: CRYONICS DHEA, Alzheimer's Disease, and Depression In 1985, I predicted (copyrighted) that DHEA would be low in Alzheimer's disease and depression, and that it is the cause. The first report of low DHEA in AD was in 1989. I just found the following report that further supports my hypotheses. Wolkowitz OM, et al., "Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) treatment of depression," Biol Psychiatry 41 (3): 311-318 (1997) "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 and/or 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." Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8125