Dataset Information

Interactive effects of testosterone and cortisol on hippocampal volume and episodic memory in middle-aged men.

ABSTRACT: Animal and human research suggests that testosterone is associated with hippocampal structure and function. Studies examining the association between testosterone and either hippocampal structure or hippocampal-mediated cognitive processes have overwhelmingly focused on the effects of testosterone alone, without considering the interaction of other neuroendocrine factors. The aim of the present study was to examine the interactive effects of testosterone and cortisol in relation to hippocampal volume and episodic memory in a sample of late-middle aged men from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. The average age of participants was 56.3 years (range 51-60). Salivary hormone samples were collected at multiple time-points on two non-consecutive at-home days, and an in-lab assessment. Area under the curve with respect to ground measures for cortisol and testosterone were utilized. Significant testosterone-by-cortisol interactions were observed for hippocampal volume, and episodic memory. When cortisol levels were elevated (1 SD above the mean), testosterone levels were positively associated with hippocampal volume and memory performance. However, when cortisol levels were low (1 SD below the mean), testosterone levels were inversely related to hippocampal volume and memory performance. These findings suggest that in context of high cortisol levels, testosterone may be neuroprotective. In contrast, low testosterone may also be neuroprotective in the context of low cortisol levels. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of such an interaction in a structural brain measure and an associated cognitive ability. These results argue in favor of broadening neuroendocrine research to consider the simultaneous and interactive effects of multiple hormones on brain structure and function.

SUBMITTER: Panizzon MS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5931212 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Interactive effects of testosterone and cortisol on hippocampal volume and episodic memory in middle-aged men.

Panizzon Matthew S MS Hauger Richard L RL Xian Hong H Jacobson Kristen K Lyons Michael J MJ Franz Carol E CE Kremen William S WS

Psychoneuroendocrinology 20180309

Animal and human research suggests that testosterone is associated with hippocampal structure and function. Studies examining the association between testosterone and either hippocampal structure or hippocampal-mediated cognitive processes have overwhelmingly focused on the effects of testosterone alone, without considering the interaction of other neuroendocrine factors. The aim of the present study was to examine the interactive effects of testosterone and cortisol in relation to hippocampal v ...[more]

PMID: 29547742

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundLow vitality is a common symptom of testosterone deficiency; however, clinical trial results remain inconclusive regarding the responsiveness of this symptom to hormone replacement.AimThe aim of the present study was to determine if the relationship between circulating testosterone levels and vitality would be moderated by the CAG repeat length in the androgen receptor (AR) gene, which influences the receptor's sensitivity to testosterone.MethodsWe examined 676 men in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging when they were, on average, 55.4 years old (SD = 2.5). Salivary testosterone levels were measured by using 3 samples collected at waking on 3 nonconsecutive days. The average testosterone level was classified as low, normal, or high based on 1-SD cutoffs. Analyses were conducted using multilevel, mixed linear models, which accounted for the nonindependence of the twin data, and adjusted for the effects of age, ethnicity, BMI, chronic health conditions, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality.OutcomesVitality was measured using the 36-item Short Form (SF-36) vitality subscale.ResultsWe observed a significant interaction between salivary testosterone and the AR-CAG repeat length. When the repeat length was short, men with low testosterone had significantly lower vitality. As the AR-CAG repeat length increased, the magnitude of the testosterone effect decreased.Clinical translationThe observed interaction between testosterone and variation in the AR gene suggests that men with more sensitive ARs, as indicated by a shorter AR-CAG repeat, are more likely to experience symptoms of age-related testosterone deficiency.Strengths & limitationsStrengths of the present study include our use of a large community-based sample, the use of multiple testosterone measurements, and the availability of a comprehensive set of covariates that may impact the association of interest. Limitations include the homogeneous nature of the sample with respect to ethnicity, the brevity of the 36-item Short Form vitality subscale, and our inability to establish change in testosterone levels because of the cross-sectional nature of data.ConclusionsThe association between testosterone and vitality appears to be clinically meaningful and is in part dependent on variation in the AR gene. Panizzon MS, Bree K, Hsieh T-C, et al. Genetic Variation in the Androgen Receptor Modifies the Association Between Testosterone and Vitality in Middle-Aged Men. J Sex Med 2020;17:2351-2361.

Dataset Information

Interactive effects of testosterone and cortisol on hippocampal volume and episodic memory in middle-aged men.

Publications

Interactive effects of testosterone and cortisol on hippocampal volume and episodic memory in middle-aged men.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure