The psychotropic properties of estrogens

In this review article clinical literature and experimental work from biochemistry, electro-encephalography and experimental psychology will be reported. Like the androgens and progestogens reviewed earlier, estrogens have psychotropic properties comparable to those of well-known psychotropic compounds. These are: improvement of psychological test results and increase in extraversion and decrease in neuroticism according to the Eysenck Personality Model (1964). Such effects are usually associated with the psychostimulants. The immediate effect on EEG of 4 mg estradiol valerate (single oral dose, male subjects), is a standard EEG profile similar to that of the tricyclic antidepressants. High dosages of estrogens have antidepressant properties clinically. In terms of psycho-pharmacological profiles, the estrogens seem to be a new type of psychotropic compound.