|
|
High Testosterone May Impair Memory: Study
Reuters Health
December 13, 2007
The results of a small study hint that high doses of testosterone may have detrimental effects on memory and brain function in elderly men, investigators at the University of Illinois at Chicago report.
Multiple lines of evidence link low testosterone levels to cognitive decline and dementia in aging men. Some studies have suggested beneficial effects of testosterone treatment and high blood testosterone, but the overall findings have been mixed.
To investigate further, Dr. Pauline M. Maki and associates studied 15 healthy men between 66 and 86 years old with no evidence of cognitive dysfunction. They men received shots of testosterone (200 milligrams) or placebo every other week for 90 days, followed by a 90-day "washout" period, followed by a cross over to the other treatment.
Total testosterone levels more than doubled after active treatment, the team reports.
But contrary to their expectations, the testosterone treatment was associated with a moderate decline in short-term verbal memory.
"Neuroimaging data provided insights into the neural basis for this decline in function," Maki and her associates state. "With testosterone treatment, relative activity decreased in the medial temporal lobe..., a pattern observed in preclinical Alzheimer's disease in a region that is critical for episodic memory."
Although this trial suggests that high doses of testosterone over long intervals may be harmful, Maki's group believes that "the results do not rule out potential benefits with other regimens, cognitive tests, or populations."
Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, November 2007.
More Information on US Health Issues
|
|
