DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE-SULFATE AND DEMENTIA

Animal and human studies suggest that the adrenal androgen dehydroepia ndrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) may be related to cognitive function. Aim of this study was to explore the relationships between circulating se rum levels of DHEAS and cognitive function in a sample of over 90-year -olds. Thirty-four subjects (7 males, 27 females) aged 91-104 years we re recruited in long-stay elderly facilities or at home in Bologna. Ea ch subject received a semi-structured interview assessing medical hist ory in order to exclude as much as possible the influence of medical c onditions, pharmacological treatments and nutritional status on DHEAS levels. The diagnosis of dementia was made for 18 subjects according t o the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association. No differenc es were found between DHEAS concentrations of demented and non-demente d subjects (sex- and age-adjusted ANOVA F = 2.003, p = 0.168). No sign ificant correlations were found between DHEAS and a number or cognitiv e testing scores, when adjusting for sex and age. In conclusion, our d ata do not suggest a causal role of DHEAS in senile dementia. The low DHEAS levels observed by some authors in patients with organic brain s yndromes could be an artifact deriving from infectious or debilitating conditions.