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Taken from WWW.pubmed.gov (testosterone studies)
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2007 Jul 23; [Epub ahead of print]
Associations between sex steroid hormone levels and depressive symptoms in elderly men and women:
Results from the Health ABC study.
Morsink LF, et al
EMGO Institute/Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, A.J. Ernststraat 887, 1081 HL Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
INTRODUCTION: Sex steroid hormone levels decline with age and in some studies this decline has been linked with depressive
symptoms. This study investigates the association between total testosterone, free testosterone, and DHEAS levels with depressive
symptoms in a well-functioning elderly population.
METHODS: Data are from 2855 well-functioning elderly men and women, 70-79 years
of age, participating in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for
Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Total testosterone, free testosterone, and DHEAS levels were assessed after an overnight
fast.
RESULTS: In men and women, DHEAS levels and depressive symptoms were inversely associated after adjustment for covariates
(men: beta=-0.059, p=0.03, women: beta=-0.054, p=0.05). In addition, free testosterone levels in women, but not in men, were
inversely associated with depressive symptoms (adjusted beta=-0.079, p=0.004). Men, but not women, in the lowest total testosterone
quartile reported significantly more depressive symptoms than men in the other total testosterone quartiles
(adjusted beta=-0.166, p=0.04).
DISCUSSION: Our study is consistent with the idea that testosterone and DHEAS levels may play a role in mechanisms underlying
depressive symptoms in old age.
PMID: 17651906 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Dr. Gordon: Testosterone plays a major role in both depression and anxiety in all adult age groups.
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