Dehydroepiandrosterone administration in treating medical and neuropsychiatric disorders high hopes, disappointing results, and topics for future research

Abstract

Studies have shown that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) influences multiple systems and disease processes in animals and humans. Many researchers around the world have explored the therapeutic role of DHEA. This chapter provides the main facts on biological effects of DHEA administration followed by review of recently reported findings from DHEA clinical trials in schizophrenia. Alterations in DHEA metabolism in schizophrenia are not well understood. Despite higher hopes after preliminary randomized and placebo-controlled cross-sectional trials, a crossover study failed to find any significant effect of DHEA administration on both positive and negative symptoms, on side effects of antipsychotic agents, or on quality of life measures. However, while still preliminary, there is evidence regarding improvement in some neurocognitive functions due to DHEA administration. This chapter also examines the influence of DHEA administration on blood concentrations of neuroactive steroids, symptomatology, neurocognitive functions, side effects and quality of life measures in schizophrenia. A special section of the chapter addresses the association between serum DHEA(S) concentrations on performance of neurocognitive task in schizophrenia patients during the DHEA trial. Deficit in the current knowledge in this area are identified, and suggestions for future research are provided. © 2008 Springer Netherlands.