Journal of Andrology Cross-Journal Searching
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Published-Ahead-of-Print July 3, 2007, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.107.002931

This Article
Right arrow Author Manuscript (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
28/6/875    most recent
Author Manuscript (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vaughan, C.
Right arrow Articles by Tenover, J. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vaughan, C.
Right arrow Articles by Tenover, J. L.

Exogenous Testosterone Alone or with Finasteride Does Not Improve Measurements of Cognition in Healthy Older Men with Low Serum Testosterone

Camille Vaughan , Felicia C. Goldstein , and J. Lisa Tenover *

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jtenove{at}emory.edu.

Testosterone (T) levels decline as men age, but it is unclear whether this has an effect on cognition. Some studies indicate that lower T levels are associated with memory loss, and thus, maintaining a higher T level could have positive effects on aspects of cognitive function. Concerns exist, however, about the impact of T therapy on the prostate in older men. We hypothesized that T replacement in older men with low T levels would improve aspects of cognitive function, and that the addition of finasteride would not impact the T-induced cognitive improvements. Healthy men, 65 to 83 years of age, with baseline total T below 350 ng/dL and no evidence of cognitive impairment were randomly assigned to one of three regimens: 200mg T every two weeks by IM injection with placebo pill daily (T-only), 200mg T every two weeks by IM injection with 5mg finasteride daily (T+F), or placebo injections and pills (Placebo). Sixty-nine men completed baseline cognitive testing, 65 completed at least 4 months, and 46 completed all 36 months of the study. Participants were given a battery of cognitive evaluations at baseline, 4 months, and 36 months, along with measurement of serum hormone levels. Serum total T, bioavailable T and estradiol levels in the T-only and T+F groups significantly increased throughout the treatment period, whereas these hormone levels did not change in the placebo group. There were no significant differences among the three groups in any evaluation of cognitive performance, either in the short term (4 months) or the long term (36 months) analysis. These results indicate that T replacement, whether given alone or in combination with finasteride, for 36 months in healthy older men without cognitive impairment at baseline, has no significant effect on tests of cognitive function. Further studies are warranted to determine if hormone replacement in men with preexisting cognitive impairment is beneficial.


Key words: Androgen • Andropause • Aging • Memory • Visual spatial function






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Andrology.