Biology Talk

James Michael Howard · Guest

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Dec 11 [Epub ahead of print]

DHEA sulfate levels are associated with more favorable cognitive
function in women.

Davis SR, Shah SM, McKenzie DP, Kulkarni J, Davison SL, Bell RJ.

Women's Health Program, Department of Medicine, Monash Medical School,
Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Prahran Victoria, Australia; School of
Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University,
Victoria, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine,
Monash University, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.

Context: It has been proposed that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and
DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) exert neuroprotective effects in the brain, yet
evidence of associations between the endogenous levels of these steroids
and measures of cognitive function are lacking. Objective: To investigate
whether circulating levels of DHEAS independently contribute to aspects of
cognitive function in women in the community. Design: A community based
cross-sectional study. Setting and Participants: 295 women, aged 21-77
years were recruited from a community based data set and participated
between September 2003 and December 2004. Women were excluded if they
reported any health condition that might potentially adversely affect
cognitive function. Main Outcome Measures: The individual scores of a
comprehensive battery of tests of cognitive function and the serum level of
DHEAS (square root transformed). Results: In the multiple linear regression
analysis the DHEAS term made a significant independent positive
contribution to the Controlled Oral Word Association Test score, a measure
of executive function. In addition, women with a DHEAS level in the highest
tertile who also had more than 12 years of education performed better on
both Digit Span Forward and Digit Span Backward tests which are tests of
simple concentration and working memory respectively. Conclusions: Higher
endogenous DHEAS levels are independently and favorably associated with
executive function, concentration and working memory.