Several studies have found gender-related differences in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, clinical course and response to treatment of schizophrenic disorder(1,2). Findings relating to a lower frequency of schizophrenia in women, its later onset and less severe clinical course(3,4), have led to the appearance of the "estrogen hypothesis" of schizophrenia, which postulates that estrogen has a protective effect in women susceptible to this disease(5).