DHEA May Help Treat Mid-Life Depression

Treatment with the over-the-counter hormonal therapy DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) may be effective in treating midlife-onset minor and major depression, according to a study in the February issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry. DHEA, an androgen hormone produced naturally by the adrenal gland, is also classified as a neurosteroid due to its effects on the brain. DHEA is also sold in supplement form in stores throughout the United States.

Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health studied 23 men and 23 women aged 45 to 65 with moderately severe midlife-onset minor or major depression. They initially received either six week of DHEA therapy or six weeks of placebo. The treatment groups were then reversed.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 8 Feb 2005
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