The Estrogen Hypothesis

Question 1

What does this go hand in hand with?

Answer 1

The neuroinflammory hypothesis - people pay less attention to this

Question 2

Are the gender differences?

Answer 2

Yes:
rate and onset of disease- favours women
severity and progression
response to antipsychotic treatment

Question 3

What does it support?

Answer 3

The hypothesis that sex hormones may play a role in cause and treatment of schizophrenia

Question 4

What is this hypothesis?

Answer 4

Believes that it is estrogen which protects women from getting the disease

Question 5

What is estrogen?

Answer 5

The primary female sex hormone

Question 6

Where is it secreted?

Answer 6

By the ovaries, fat, breasts and the brain

Question 7

When is there a peak onset of schizophrenia?

Answer 7

Age 45-50 (menopause) because no longer making estrogen

Question 8

What does estrogen do?

Answer 8

Plays a protective role against the development of schizophrenia - buffer

Question 9

What do women have?

Answer 9

Less severe course, less severe negative symptoms
Later onset - better prognosis
Better response to antipsychotic treatment, fewer hospitalisations and less disability (remain employed, self-care, more likely to be married, keep family and friends)

Question 10

So what causes the disease?

Answer 10

Multiple causes
Typical antipsychotics only partly effect
Atypical address positive and negative symptoms
Faulty glutamate might better explain schizophrenia - account for DA abnormalities
Immunity and estrogen are also important