ESTROGEN COULD CONTROL PHOTOPERIODIC ADJUSTMENT IN SEASONAL AFFECTIVE-DISORDER

Women are affected by winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD) more of ten than men. The female/male ratio is reported to range from 2:1 to 4 0:1 in samples of patients with winter SAD. It is suggested that this preponderance of women is based on the action of the ovarian steroid h ormones estrogen and progesterone. However, the detailed mechanisms of action are not well understood to date. A new hypothesis claims that, in women with winter SAD, decreased levels of estradiol in the ventro medial hypothalamus are associated with the occurrence of atypical sym ptoms of depression, including increased daytime sleepiness and hypers omnia during the winter.