Hormones and depression in the advanced age

In older people, depression and mental disability are more frequently present than in younger subjects. It is found that depressionis a risk factor for dementia, just as dementia is a risk factor for depression. In turn, both disturbances are known to be influenced by hormones. The present study aimed to see whether the hormonal changes in subjects over 75 years old correlate with the symptoms of depression measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).

In a group of patients aged over 75 years, concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), oestradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAs), and cortisol were measured in serum with the use of chemiluminescence. The symptoms of depression were estimated by GDS, and the mental functions were assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The correlations between the obtained results were estimated by Spearman's test.

A significant correlation between GDS and MMSE scores was observed in the investigated patients. Some statistically significant correlations concerning cortisol and testosterone with GDS were observed in women, but not in men. On the other hand, no significant correlations between concentrations of FSH, LH, DHEAs, and oestradiol with GDS were noticed. Our data support the role of cortisol (possibly secreted during chronic stress) in the risk of depression. The gender difference in the mechanism of depression and stress in older age could be also hypothesized.