Florey Neurosciences Institute, Melbourne Brain Centre, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Neural Regen Res. 2012 Oct 5;7(28):2227-39. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.028.009.
Interest surrounds the role of sex-hormones in regulating brain function outside of reproductive behaviour. Declining androgen production in aging males has been associated with cognitive impairment, depression and increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Indication for testosterone replacement therapy is based on biochemically determined low circulating testosterone combined with manifest symptoms. However, which aspects of age-related cognitive decline are attributable to low circulating testosterone remain ambiguous. Studies examining cognition in aging men receiving testosterone replacement therapy have yielded equivocal results. The exact role of testosterone in maintaining cognitive function and the underlying neural mechanisms are largely unknown, though it would appear to be domain specific. Clarity in this area will provide clinical direction toward addressing an increasing healthcare burden of mental health decline coincident with increasing longevity. The premise that androgens contribute to maintaining aspects of mental health in aging men by preserving hippocampal neurogenesis will be used as a forum in this review to discuss current knowledge and the need for further studies to better define testosterone replacement strategies for aging male health.
人们对性激素在调节生殖行为以外的大脑功能方面的作用很感兴趣。衰老男性的雄激素产生减少与认知障碍、抑郁和阿尔茨海默病风险增加有关。睾酮替代疗法的适应证基于生化确定的循环睾酮低结合明显的症状。然而，与年龄相关的认知能力下降的哪些方面归因于低循环睾酮仍然不清楚。研究衰老男性接受睾酮替代治疗对认知的影响得出的结果是模棱两可的。睾酮在维持认知功能和潜在神经机制中的确切作用在很大程度上是未知的，尽管它似乎是特定于领域的。这方面的明确性将为解决随着长寿而增加的心理健康下降的日益增加的医疗负担提供临床指导。雄激素通过维持海马神经发生来维持衰老男性心理健康方面的作用的前提将作为本文讨论的一个论坛，以讨论当前的知识和进一步研究的必要性，以更好地定义睾酮替代治疗衰老男性健康的策略。
