Establishment of treatment-resistant depression and dementia prevention methods focusing on sex hormones

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17085
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Tsuneyama Nobuto 新潟大学, 医歯学総合研究科, 客員研究員 (90750349)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: うつ病 / ホルモン / 治療抵抗性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found that cortisol, cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) ratio, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels correlated with the severity of depression, and that cortisol and IGF-1 associated with melancholia and suicide risk. We also reported that serum estradiol levels in male depressed patients were lower than in the control group, and that there was a negative correlation between depressive symptoms and estradiol levels. Furthermore, we shown that serum IGF-1 and DHEAS levels may be predictors of treatment resistance in depression.

Free Research Field

精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果から、ホルモンがうつ病の重症度や治療抵抗性と関連する可能性が示唆された。既存のうつ病治療の問題点として、抗うつ薬治療に反応しない症例が一定数存在することや客観的なマーカーがないことが挙げられる。今回の成果は、ホルモンがうつ病の診断や治療反応を予測する生物学的マーカーならびに新たな治療法の確立につながり得る可能性を示唆し、精神医学において大きな意義があると考える。