ДЕГИДРОЭПИАНДРОСТЕРОН-СУЛЬФАТ.CORTISOL AND DEHYDROEPIANDRОSTERONE SULPHATE PRODUCTION IN PATIENTS WITH FIRST PSYCHOTIC EPISODE
The researchers have measured the levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrоsterone sulphate (DHEA-S) in 33 patients (16 female and 17 male) with fi rst psychotic episode and in 34 (14 female and 20 male) mentally healthy persons. The measurements were made with regard for the gender factor and the severity of psychopathological symptoms. The authors report increased average levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrоsterone sulphate in male and cortisol in female patients in comparison with controls; significant differences between the average levels of the DHEA-S in men and women with pronounced psychopathological symptoms and the controls; significant differences between the average levels of the DHEA-S in male patients with less pronounced psychopathological symptoms and those in control group. This research has discovered high average levels of cortisol in the acute phase of disorder irrespective of the gender factor, which does not contradict the stress theory of schizophrenia and corresponds to the stress stage number one.