Treatment of Mid-Life-Related Mood Disorders

Completed · Phase 2

Conditions studied: Depressive Disorder, Mood Disorder

In brief

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. As humans grow older the levels of DHEA naturally decrease. Low levels of DHEA have been associated with a variety of harmful effects, including increased heart disease, decreased immune system function, decreased bone density (osteoporosis), high cholesterol, and increased fat to muscle ratio. Blood levels of DHEA and its sulfate form, DHEA-S, begin dropping when humans are in their 20's. By the time humans are in their 40's and 50's, levels of DHEA and DHEA-S levels are at 50% of their peak. Previous studies have shown that levels of these hormones are associated with feelings of "well-being" and enjoyment of "leisure" activities. In this study researchers are interested in the effects on mood and behavior of DHEA in men and women with mid-life related mood disorders. Specifically, researchers would like to find out if increasing levels of DHEA will lessen the symptoms associated with these disorders.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT00001487
Run by: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
People needed: 60
Starts: 1995-06-01
Expected to finish: 2004-04-01
Last updated by the study team: 2008-03-04

Who can join

Age: any. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Subjects for this study will meet the following criteria:
A current episode of minor (meeting 3-4 criterion symptoms) or major depression of moderate severity or less on the SCID severity scale for depression and not meeting DSM-IV criteria symptom #9 (suicide) as determined by the administration of the minor depression module of the SADS-L and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Additionally, to ensure that subjects meet a minimum threshold for severity of depression, subjects will have scores greater than or equal to 10 on either the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) or the Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D) Scale during at least three of the four clinic visits during the two month screening phase. Subjects will be excluded if they meet any of the following criteria: major depression of greater than moderate severity, DSM-IV criteria #9 (suicide), or anyone requiring immediate treatment after clinical assessment, functional impairment ratings of five or six for more than seven consecutive days on daily ratings;
Age 40-65;
No prior hormonal therapy for the treatment of menopause/andropause-related mood or physical symptoms within the last six months;
In good medical health.

You may not qualify if…

The following conditions will constitute contradictions to treatment with DHEA and will preclude a subject's participation in this protocol:
Positive (threshold) response to SCID major depression section item #9, suicidal ideation;
Anyone requiring immediate treatment after clinical assessment;
Severity ratings greater than moderate on the SCID;
Functional impairment ratings of five or six for more than seven consecutive days on daily ratings
Current treatment with antidepressant medications
Prostate nodules or cancer
Moderate symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy such as hesitancy, urgency, frequent voiding and feeling of incomplete voiding
History of ischemic cardiac disease
Renal disease
Hepatic dysfunction
Women with a history of carcinoma of the breast, or any women with a family history of the following: premenopausal breast cancer or bilateral breast cancer in a first degree relative; multiple family members (greater than three relatives) with postmenopausal breast cancer
Women with a history of uterine cancer
Patients with a known hypersensitivity to DHEA or other androgens
Pregnant women

Where it is running

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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