title: Andropause and psychopathology: minor symptoms rather than pathological ones.
abstract: This study examined the psychological symptomatology of men diagnosed with andropause and the association between calculated free testosterone (T) and depressed mood, anxiety and quality of life. Subjects were 153 men, aged 50-70 years, who participated in a screening of andropause. Total testosterone, FSH, LH and SHBG levels were measured. Depressed mood was assessed with the Carroll Rating Scale, anxiety with the "anxiety-insomnia" dimension of the General Health Questionnaire, and quality of life with the World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire. The results showed that levels of free T decreased with age, whereas FSH and LH increased. Carroll Rating Scale scores were higher among hypogonadal subjects, but the mean score was low and not pathological. A negative correlation was observed between severity of depression as assessed by the Carroll Rating Scale and free T levels. However, subjects with a significant score on this scale did not exhibit different free T levels compared to subjects with a non-significant depressive score. Anxiety and quality of life did not differ between hypogonadal and eugonadal subjects. The present study therefore suggests that andropause is not characterised by specific psychological symptoms, but may be associated with "depressive symptoms" that are not considered as pathological.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology; Psychoneuroendocrinology Unit, CHU du Sart Tilman (B-35), B-4000 Liège, Belgium. mdelhez@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delhez
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hansenne
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Legros
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone