Osteoporosis is a common problem in postmenopausal women. It has been
linked to estrogen deficiency, other neuroendocrine processes such as
hypercortisolemia and male hypogonadism, nutritional deficiencies, and
other mechanisms. Some of these changes have been also reported in ma
le and female patients with mental disorders, especially those receivi
ng psychotropic medications. Therefore, bone mineral density was measu
red by dual-photon absorptiometry in the lumbar spine and in the femor
al neck of 33 female and 35 male consenting psychiatric inpatients adm
itted consecutively. Patients were diagnosed as having major depressiv
e disorder (N = 21), schizophrenia (N = 33), schizoaffective disorder
(N = 7), mania (N = 2), and adjustment disorder (N = 5). Plasma levels
of prolactin, estrogen, cortisol, and testosterone were also measured
in a subgroup of these patients. It is reported that female patients,
but especially male patients, had a highly significant decrease in bo
ne mineral density when compared with age- and sex-matched normal data
. It is suggested that psychiatric patients treated with antidepressan
ts or neuroleptics might have decreased bone mineral density than is n
ormal for their age and sex, and may be at an increased risk for fract
ures. These results may be related to low levels of gonadal hormones,
especially in male subjects, Data should be confirmed with a larger nu
mber of patients with and without medications to distinguish between d
iagnosis-related and treatment-related effects.