Symptoms at the menopausal and premenopausal years: Their relationship with insulin, glucose, cortisol, FSH, prolactin, obesity and attitudes towards sexuality

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology 1995, Vol.20 (8), p.851-864
• Main Authors: Huerta, Raquel, Mena, Aurora, Manuel Malacara, Juan, de León, Jorge Díaz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anxiety - physiopathology; Anxiety - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Mass Index; Climacteric - physiology; Climacteric - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depression - physiopathology; Depression - psychology; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Gender Identity; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Insulin - blood; Insulin resistance; Insulin Resistance - physiology; Medical sciences; Menopause; Middle Aged; Obesity - physiopathology; Obesity - psychology; Overweight; Personality Assessment; Premenopause - physiology; Premenopause - psychology; Prolactin - blood; Puberal and climacteric disorders (male and female); Sexual Behavior - physiology; Sexuality; Sleep alterations; Sleep Stages - physiology
• ISSN: 0306-4530; 1873-3360
• DOI: 10.1016/0306-4530(95)00030-5

The symptoms of 81 premenopausal and 70 menopausal women were studied to determine the association with obesity, attitudes towards sexuality (ATS), and diverse hormone values: fasting and postprandial glucose (FG, PG) and insulin (Fl, PI), cortisol, prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The mean age of the women studied was 49.1 years. The frequency of symptoms was 35.4% for depression, 34.3% for nonspecific symptoms of depression (NSSD), 38.6% for empty nest syndrome (ENS), and 42.3% for anxiety. NSSD, ENS, FSH and cortisol levels all possessed higher values at late-menopausal stage. A multiple regression analysis revealed the following results; NSSD was associated to ATS (negative); sleep alterations were correlated to prolactin, FSH, PI/PG, FI/FG and waist/hip ratio; FSH was associated with both a decreased sexual interest and depression. In the study of hormone levels it was found that cortisol, insulin and FI/FG were associated with ATS; PI, cortisol, FI/FG and PI/PG were associated with body mass index (BMI) and FSH; prolactin and FI/FG were associated with age. We concluded that: (1) data indicative of insulin resistance correlated to both depression and sleep alterations; (2) overweight is related to NSSD, sleep alterations, and hormonal changes.