“…In addition, 7␣-hydroxyDHEA can be further converted to 7-oxo-DHEA by 11-HSD1 (Robinzon et al, 2003), itself widespread in the CNS (Moisan et al, 1990), and 7-oxo-DHEA reverses scopolamine-induced memory impairments in young mice (Shi et al, 2000). Indeed, if 7␣-hydroxylated metabolites are more active than the parent steroid, then this may in part explain why oral DHEA replacement in the elderly has not successfully improved memory (Wolf et al, 1997;Huppert and Van Niekerk, 2001), whereas DHEA administration is effective at improving memory recollection and mood in healthy young subjects (Alhaj et al, 2006), presumably because they maintain greater hippocampal CYP7B activity. It may be that the 7␣-hydroxylated metabolite rather than the parent steroid would be more effective therapy in the elderly.…”