Brain Imaging Study in Menopausal Women With and Without Major Depressive Disorder
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2008-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose this study is to measure cortical gama-aminobutyric acid levels (GABA) levels in
menopausal women with major depressive disorder and healthy subjects using nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Measurements will be compared in 1) menopausal healthy subjects
before and after estrogen replacement, and after fourteen days of medroxyprogesterone
administration; and 2) in depressed menopausal subjects before and after treatment of their
depression with antidepressant alone, estrogen alone or antidepressant plus estrogen.
Cortical GABA levels will be correlated with plasma GABA and neurosteroid levels.
Neurosteroids to be measured include progesterone, allopregnanolone, pregnenolone, and
pregnenolone sulfate.