This moderate to large effect size , showing lower ratings of depressed mood in treated patients compared with controls , implicated HRT as a potential treatment of or prophylactic for depression in menopausal women .
One can generalize from the studies review ed here only with great caution , but there is little evidence to support the use of estradiol to improve mood in nondepressed patients ( not surprisingly ) and some evidence to support the antidepressant efficacy of estradiol in perimenopausal but not postmenopausal women
BACKGROUND Controversy regarding the antidepressant efficacy of hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) stems almost from its inception and reflects the same method ological inconsistencies that have compromised efforts to determine whether the perimenopause is accompanied by an increase in mood symptoms or depression .
Since this publication , multiple studies have aim ed to discern the relationship between HRT and menopausal mood .
METHODS The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the findings and quality of the evidence amassed since Zweifel and O'Brien 's meta- analysis .
Short-term transdermal estradiol therapy, cognition and depressive symptoms in healthy older women. A randomised placebo controlled pilot cross-over study
The potential role of estrogen in protecting women from cognitive decline and reducing depressive symptoms is of great therapeutic interest . In a pilot r and omised placebo controlled cross-over study , we aim ed to determine the short-term effects of transdermal estradiol therapy on cognition and depressive symptoms in healthy cognitively normal post-menopausal women over 60 years of age . Nineteen cognitively normal women , without clinical depression whom had undergone a hysterectomy in the past were recruited . Women were r and omised to receive either transdermal estradiol 50 microg/24 h ( Femseven ) or transdermal placebo for 12 weeks before crossing over to the other medication for a further 12 weeks . Cognition was assessed every 6 weeks by the cognitive drug research ( CDR ) computerised assessment which recorded both accuracy and speed in the following cognitive tests ; simple reaction time , choice reaction time , digit vigilance , visual tracking , spatial working memory , immediate and delayed word recall and delayed face and picture recall . Depressive symptoms were measured using the brief assessment scale depression card ( BASDEC ) depression rating scale at baseline , 12 and 24 weeks . Participants had a mean age of 71 , IQ of 115 and MMSE of 29 .  Simple reaction time and the BASDEC depression rating scale improved after 12 weeks of estradiol use . All other tests were unaltered by estradiol . Twelve weeks of transdermal estradiol therapy did not consistently improve the speed or accuracy of older women in various cognitive tests . However , the results do support the concept that depressive symptoms may be reduced by estradiol , and not simply due to the relief of climacteric symptoms
This moderate to large effect size , showing lower ratings of depressed mood in treated patients compared with controls , implicated HRT as a potential treatment of or prophylactic for depression in menopausal women .
One can generalize from the studies review ed here only with great caution , but there is little evidence to support the use of estradiol to improve mood in nondepressed patients ( not surprisingly ) and some evidence to support the antidepressant efficacy of estradiol in perimenopausal but not postmenopausal women
BACKGROUND Controversy regarding the antidepressant efficacy of hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) stems almost from its inception and reflects the same method ological inconsistencies that have compromised efforts to determine whether the perimenopause is accompanied by an increase in mood symptoms or depression .
Since this publication , multiple studies have aim ed to discern the relationship between HRT and menopausal mood .
METHODS The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the findings and quality of the evidence amassed since Zweifel and O'Brien 's meta- analysis .