Association of Estrogen Levels With Neuropsychological Performance in Women With Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine the relationship of estrogen levels with psychiatric symptoms and neuropsychological function in female patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: Psychiatric symptoms were assessed and average estrogen and progesterone levels from four consecutive weekly blood samples were measured in 22 female inpatients with schizophrenia who were also administered a neuropsychological battery. RESULTS: There were strong positive correlations between average estrogen level and cognitive function, especially measures of global cognitive function, verbal and spatial declarative memory, and perceptual-motor speed. Correlations of hormone levels with psychiatric symptoms were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Higher estrogen levels in female patients with schizophrenia are associated with better cognitive ability. These results may have implications for potential treatment of cognitive dysfunction with adjunctive estrogen in female patients with schizophrenia.