Formation and metabolism of catecholestrogens in depressed patients.

Abstract The evidence that catecholestrogens are formed in the brain and exert behavioral effects in animal models suggests that these steroids might have psychotropic activities. In the present investigation, the formation and metabolism of catecholestrogens were studied in depressed patients. Twenty-four-hr urine samples were collected from 6 male patients (59 ± 8 years) with endogenous retarded depression (subtype primary, endogenous, and recurrent according to Research Diagnostic Criteria) and from 12 male control subjects (51 ± 4 years). The patients were treated with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor tranylcypromine (10–40 mg/day for 3–4 weeks). The concentrations of primary estrogens, …