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Alzheimer's Research & Therapy
Published in: Alzheimer's Research & Therapy 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Total testosterone and neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly men with Alzheimer’s disease

Authors: James R Hall, April R Wiechmann, Rebecca L Cunningham, Leigh A Johnson, Melissa Edwards, Robert C Barber, Meharvan Singh, Scott Winter, Sid E O’Bryant, for the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium

Published in: Alzheimer's Research & Therapy | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Introduction

There has been a significant increase in the use of testosterone in aging men, but little investigation into its impact on men with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The findings of the few studies that have been done are inconsistent. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between total testosterone (TT) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in a well-characterized sample of elderly men with mild to moderate AD.

Methods

The sample, which was drawn from the Texas Alzheimer’s Research Care Consortium Longitudinal Research Cohort, included 87 men who met the criteria for mild to moderate AD. The occurrence of NPS was gathered from caregivers and/or family members with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. TT was analyzed, and the sample was divided into a low-testosterone group (TT ≤2.5 ng/ml; n = 44) and a borderline/normal group (TT ≥2.6 ng/ml; n = 43).

Results

TT was correlated with symptoms of hallucinations, delusions, agitation, irritability and motor activity. The borderline/normal group was significantly more likely to have hallucinations (odds ratio (OR) = 5.56), delusions (OR = 3.87), motor activity (OR = 3.13) and irritability (OR = 2.77) than the low-testosterone group. Health status and apolipoprotein E ε4 status were not significant factors.

Conclusions

The findings of the present study have implications for the use of testosterone replacement therapy in men with AD or the prodromal stage of the disease.
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Metadata
Title
Total testosterone and neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly men with Alzheimer’s disease
Authors
James R Hall
April R Wiechmann
Rebecca L Cunningham
Leigh A Johnson
Melissa Edwards
Robert C Barber
Meharvan Singh
Scott Winter
Sid E O’Bryant
for the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Alzheimer's Research & Therapy / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1758-9193
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-015-0107-4

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