?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Serum+gonadal+steroid+hormones+in+young+schizophrenic+patients&rft.creator=Oades%2C+&rft.creator=Schepker%2C+&rft.subject=Neuroendocrinology&rft.subject=Neuropsychiatry&rft.subject=Psychobiology&rft.description=Psychosis+is+reported+to+show+a+later+age+of+onset+in+women+than+in+men+and+its+nature+and+course+in+women+may+also+differ.%0AOur+aim+was+to+see+if+levels+of+four+steroid+hormones+at+the+start+of+early-onset+psychosis+differ+from+other+groups+of+young+people+and+if+predicted+low+levels+of+estrogen+(E2)+are+a+feature+of+female+psychosis.+%5BWe+would+predict+that+female+schizophrenia+patients+on+a+child+and+adoelscent+psychiatry+ward+would+show+low+levels+of+E2+with+its+putative+neuroleptic+like+protective+properties.%5D+%0A%0A%0AMethods%3A+Two+blood+samples+from+22+young+psychotic+patients+were+analysed+by+radioimmunoassay+for+E2%2C+progesterone+(PROG)%2C+testosterone+(TE)+and+dehydroepiandrosterone+sulphate+(DHEAS).%0A%0AResults%3A+Female+psychotic+patients+showed+E2+levels+lower+than+matched+healthy+cycling+controls+but+higher+than+those+on+a+contraceptive+pill%3A+they+also+showed+higher+TE+levels+than+controls.+%0AMale+psychotic+patients+had+higher+DHEAS+levels+than+healthy+or+obsessive+compulsive+disorder+subjects.+%0A%0AConclusions%3A+We+suggest+that+illness-related+changes+of+steroids+can+be+measured+superimposed+on+medication+-+induced+changes+and+that+lower+E2+levels+in+psychotic+women+may+increase+their+vulnerability+to+psychosis.+Changes+of+TE+in+female+and+DHEAS+in+male+psychotics+may+be+more+a+consequence+of+the+illness.+However+we+postulate+that+increased+DHEAS+levels+could+interfere+with+normal+neurodevelopmental+neuronal+pruning+processes+(cf.+increased+DHEAS+levels+in+male+adolescents+with+conduct+disorder%2C+Dmitrieva+et+al.%2C+1999%2C+2001)%0A&rft.publisher=Elsevier&rft.date=1994&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F1229%2F2%2FPsychoendocrionol94.pdf&rft.identifier=++Oades%2C++and+Schepker%2C+++(1994)+Serum+gonadal+steroid+hormones+in+young+schizophrenic+patients.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F1229%2F