Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1991-10-15
pubmed:abstractText
In a representative sample of 392 first hospital admissions for schizophrenia from a population of 1.5 million we assessed the "true" age of onset by a semi-standardized interview "IRAOS". We demonstrated that the mean age at onset of the disease is 3-4 years higher in females than in males, with the lifetime risk being exactly equal. In males, the rates of onset show a steep increase - starting from school age and reaching their maximum value in the age group 15-24 years - followed by a steady decrease. Females reach the first peak with a clear delay between 20 and 29 years. After the decrease, a second smaller peak is observed consistently in females within the age group 45-49 years and over. After having excluded competing explanations, we hypothesized that the effect of oestradiol on the dopaminergic system enhances the vulnerability threshold, which is lowered again during the menopause. Alternatively, we assumed that testosterone reduces the vulnerability threshold and thus furthers the earlier onset of the disease in males. We tested the hypotheses in three animal models by examining the effect of gonadal hormones on haloperidol-induced catalepsy and on apomorphine-induced stereotypies in both neonatal and adult rats. No clear influence by testosterone was shown. Oestradiol caused a significant reduction of both dopamine-agonist and dopamine-antagonist induced behaviour. The effects were stronger in neonatal rats. Since oestradiol caused the dopamine (DA) receptor affinity for sulpiride to be reduced by a factor of 2.8, we assumed that the behavioural changes due to oestradiol were accounted for by a down-regulation of DA receptor sensitivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0940-1334
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
241
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
65-8
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-5-11
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Oestradiol enhances the vulnerability threshold for schizophrenia in women by an early effect on dopaminergic neurotransmission. Evidence from an epidemiological study and from animal experiments.
pubmed:affiliation
Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Federal Republic of Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't