Detects dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) a steroid prohormone which is the precursor of all sex steroids. DHEA is produced primarily by the adrenal glands, and together with its ester DHEA-sulphate (DHEAS), has been implicated in a wide range of physiological roles including aging, immunology, memory and obesity. In particular, DHEA and DHEAS differentially regulate growth-factor induced proliferation of chromaffin cells, and are thought to affect neurogenesis, neuronal survival, and neuronal stem cell proliferation. Blood measurements of DHEAS/DHEA are useful to detect excess adrenal activity due to adrenal cancer or hyperplasia, including certain forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia