Brain Imaging Study in Menopausal Women With and Without Major Depressive Disorder

Summary

The purpose this study is to measure cortical gama-aminobutyric acid levels (GABA) levels in menopausal women with major depressive disorder and healthy subjects using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Measurements will be compared in 1) menopausal healthy subjects before and after estrogen replacement, and after fourteen days of medroxyprogesterone administration; and 2) in depressed menopausal subjects before and after treatment of their depression with antidepressant alone, estrogen alone or antidepressant plus estrogen. Cortical GABA levels will be correlated with plasma GABA and neurosteroid levels. Neurosteroids to be measured include progesterone, allopregnanolone, pregnenolone, and pregnenolone sulfate.

Timeline

Start

1999-07

Primary completion

2008-07

Completion

2008-07

Publications

• Background Weissman MM, Klerman GL. Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1977 Jan;34(1):98-111. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1977.01770130100011.
• Background Steiner M. Female-specific mood disorders. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1992 Sep;35(3):599-611. doi: 10.1097/00003081-199209000-00020.
• Background Pariser SF. Women and mood disorders. Menarche to menopause. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1993 Dec;5(4):249-54. doi: 10.3109/10401239309148824.
• Background Pearlstein TB. Hormones and depression: what are the facts about premenstrual syndrome, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy? Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Aug;173(2):646-53. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(95)90297-x.
• Background Nicol-Smith L. Causality, menopause, and depression: a critical review of the literature. BMJ. 1996 Nov 16;313(7067):1229-32. doi: 10.1136/bmj.313.7067.1229.
• Background Schmidt PJ, Rubinow DR. Menopause-related affective disorders: a justification for further study. Am J Psychiatry. 1991 Jul;148(7):844-52. doi: 10.1176/ajp.148.7.844.
• Background Arpels JC. The female brain hypoestrogenic continuum from the premenstrual syndrome to menopause. A hypothesis and review of supporting data. J Reprod Med. 1996 Sep;41(9):633-9.
• Background Lopez-Jaramillo P, Teran E, Molina G, Rivera J, Lozano A. Oestrogens and depression. Lancet. 1996 Jul 13;348(9020):135-6. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(05)64656-9. No abstract available.
• Background Ditkoff EC, Crary WG, Cristo M, Lobo RA. Estrogen improves psychological function in asymptomatic postmenopausal women. Obstet Gynecol. 1991 Dec;78(6):991-5.
• Background Schneider MA, Brotherton PL, Hailes J. The effect of exogenous oestrogens on depression in menopausal women. Med J Aust. 1977 Jul 30;2(5):162-3. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1977.tb99116.x.
• Background Thomson J, Oswald I. Effect of oestrogen on the sleep, mood, and anxiety of menopausal women. Br Med J. 1977 Nov 19;2(6098):1317-9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6098.1317.
• Background Berlanga C. Potentiating effect of estrogen in a patient with treatment-resistant depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 1988 Dec;49(12):504. No abstract available.
• Background Oppenheim G. A case of rapid mood cycling with estrogen: implications for therapy. J Clin Psychiatry. 1984 Jan;45(1):34-5.
• Background Freeman EW, Purdy RH, Coutifaris C, Rickels K, Paul SM. Anxiolytic metabolites of progesterone: correlation with mood and performance measures following oral progesterone administration to healthy female volunteers. Neuroendocrinology. 1993 Oct;58(4):478-84. doi: 10.1159/000126579.
• Background Halbreich U, Petty F, Yonkers K, Kramer GL, Rush AJ, Bibi KW. Low plasma gamma-aminobutyric acid levels during the late luteal phase of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1996 May;153(5):718-20. doi: 10.1176/ajp.153.5.718.
• Background Krystal JH, Karper LP, Seibyl JP, Freeman GK, Delaney R, Bremner JD, Heninger GR, Bowers MB Jr, Charney DS. Subanesthetic effects of the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist, ketamine, in humans. Psychotomimetic, perceptual, cognitive, and neuroendocrine responses. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994 Mar;51(3):199-214. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950030035004.
• Background Mazure C, Nelson JC, Price LH. Reliability and validity of the symptoms of major depressive illness. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1986 May;43(5):451-6. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800050053006.
• Background Petty F, Kramer GL, Gullion CM, Rush AJ. Low plasma gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in male patients with depression. Biol Psychiatry. 1992 Aug 15;32(4):354-63. doi: 10.1016/0006-3223(92)90039-3.
• Background Rothman DL, Petroff OA, Behar KL, Mattson RH. Localized 1H NMR measurements of gamma-aminobutyric acid in human brain in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Jun 15;90(12):5662-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.12.5662.
• Background Squires RF, Saederup E. Antidepressants and metabolites that block GABAA receptors coupled to 35S-t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding sites in rat brain. Brain Res. 1988 Feb 16;441(1-2):15-22. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(88)91378-9.
• Background Wisner KL, Wheeler SB. Prevention of recurrent postpartum major depression. Hosp Community Psychiatry. 1994 Dec;45(12):1191-6. doi: 10.1176/ps.45.12.1191.

Drugs

Indications