Testosterone levels and cognitive functioning in 206 young lithuanian men

Abstract

Effects of sex steroids on psychological state of men are still explored insufficiently. Some evidences about the correlation of endogenous testosterone and cognitive function of young and older men could be found in the earlier studies. The aim of our study was to explore relationship of psyhological state of young men with testosterone concentration. A total of 206 young men, mean age 20.8 ± 1.7 years, range 18–26 years, participating in the European Commission study no QLK4-CT-1999-01 422, NAS: QLK4-CT-2001- 02 911. ‘‘The Reproductive Function of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian young men’’ were invited to participate in the substudy evaluating their psychological state. The following tests were performed: Trail Making (TM) test, which shows attention, memory and psychomotoric speed; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Digit Symbol Tests (DST) – the bigger score in it denotes better cognitive function; Profile of Mood State (POMS), which is related to mood and emotional state. Mean testosterone concentration in the group of healthy Lithuanian men was.26.2 ± 8.4 nmol/L. Mean score of TM test was 60.5 ± 16.8, range 20–120, mean DST score – 17.6 ± 3.6, range 7–26, total POMS – 20.7 ± 23.4, range 31–111. There was no significant correlation between total testosterone concentration and DST scores and between total testosterone concentration and POMS scores. However TM test results correlated with total testosterone concentration significantly (r = 0.151, P = 0.03). Results from a big group of healthy young men confirm that even in a young population testosterone concentration is important for cognitive functions.