title: Effects of testosterone administration on cognitive function in hysterectomized women with low testosterone levels: a dose-response randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the dose-dependent effects of testosterone administration on cognition in women with low testosterone levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  71 hysterectomized women with or without oophorectomy with total testosterone <31 ng/dl and/or free testosterone <3.5 pg/ml received a standardized transdermal estradiol regimen during the 12-week run-in period and were then randomized to receive weekly intramuscular injections of placebo, 3, 6.25, 12.5, or 25 mg testosterone enanthate for 24 weeks. Total testosterone was measured in serum by LC-MS/MS, and free testosterone levels were measured by equilibrium dialysis. Cognitive function was evaluated using a comprehensive battery of standardized neuropsychological tests at baseline and 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  46 women who had baseline and end-of-treatment cognitive function data constituted the analytic sample. The five groups were similar at baseline. Mean on-treatment nadir total testosterone concentrations were 15, 89, 98, 134, and 234 ng/dl in the placebo, 3, 6.25, 12.5, and 25 mg groups, respectively. No significant changes in spatial ability, verbal fluency, verbal memory, or executive function were observed in any treatment arm compared to placebo even after adjustment for baseline cognitive function, age, and education. Multiple regression analysis did not show any significant relation between changes in testosterone concentrations and change in cognitive function scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term testosterone administration over a wide range of doses for 24 weeks in women with low testosterone levels was neither associated with improvements nor worsening of cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Section of Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, BLI-5, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. ghuang7@partners.org.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Emory University, WWHC 1841 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wharton
authors.affiliation: Section of Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, BLI-5, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Travison
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, 90059, USA.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53792, USA.|Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Madison, WI, 53792, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53792, USA.|Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.|Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Madison, WI, 53792, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asthana
authors.affiliation: Section of Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, BLI-5, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhasin
authors.affiliation: Section of Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, BLI-5, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basaria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010052:Ovariectomy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Androgen deficiency; Cognition; Menopause; Testosterone