Clinical correlates of DHEA associated with post‐traumatic stress disorder
Abstract
Objective: Increased plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone‐sulfate (DHEAS) have been demonstrated in post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the documented beneficial effects of these steroids in enhancing mood and cognition, as well as neuroprotection, suggest their presence in PTSD may be associated with defensive rather than maladaptive effects. Method: We, therefore, examined plasma DHEA, DHEAS, cortisol, and the DHEA/cortisol ratio in 40 male veterans with or without PTSD, and determined their relationships to PTSD symptom severity and symptom improvement. Results: The PTSD group showed significantly higher plasma DHEA and non‐significantly higher DHEAS levels as well as a significantly lower cortisol/DHEA ratio, controlling for age. Regression analyses demonstrated that DHEA and DHEAS levels could be predicted by symptom improvement and coping, whereas the cortisol/DHEA ratio was predicted by severity of childhood trauma and current symptom severity. Conclusion: That greater symptom improvement was related to DHEA levels may suggest for a role for these hormones in modulating recovery from PTSD.
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In PTSD, DHEA levels are elevated but higher levels correlate with symptom improvement and better coping, while lower DHEA-to-cortisol ratio correlates with greater PTSD symptom severity.
“a separate study found that DHEA levels were elevated in PTSD but that higher levels were correlated with symptom improvement and better coping while a lower DHEA to cortisol ratio was positively correlated with the severity of PTSD symptoms10.”
From Neurobiology of resilience (2012) · cites this paper as [10]
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- Authors
- Yehuda, R., Brand, S. R., Golier, J. A., & Yang, R. ‐.
- Affiliations
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
- Corresponding author
- Yehuda, R.
- ORCID
- Yehuda, R.
- Venue
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-04-18
- Volume
- 114
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 187-193
- ISSN
- 0001-690X (ISSN-L)
- 1600-0447
- OpenAlex
- W2070816723
- Cited by
- 155
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 7.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- National Institutes of Health
- National Center for Research Resources (5 M01RR00071, M01RR000071)
- NIH Clinical Center
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, cortisol, veterans, symptom severity, symptom improvement, coping, childhood trauma, plasma steroid levels, neuroprotection
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Arousal, Combat Disorders, Defense Mechanisms, Dehydroepiandrosterone, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, New York City, Risk Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Veterans, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
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