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Luberti FR, Proietti V, Geniole SN, Bird BM, Ortiz TL, Watson NV, Cearns J, Goldfarb B, Carré JM. Testosterone rapidly increases men's emotion-based dehumanization of a conservatively dressed woman. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 170:107173. [PMID: 39289074 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Past research has found that sexualized women are often dehumanized (i.e., attributed reduced human qualities). However, the mechanisms contributing to such dehumanization remain poorly understood. In this pre-registered experiment involving a within-subject, placebo-controlled, cross-over design, we tested whether testosterone contributes to men's (N = 120, age range: 18-38 years) dehumanization of women. After administration of intranasal testosterone or placebo gel, men watched a video of a woman wearing either modest (i.e., conservative) or revealing (i.e., sexualized) clothing (between-subjects factor) and then completed three subtle dehumanization tasks, measuring emotion-based, personality-based, and perceptual dehumanization. We hypothesized that testosterone would increase dehumanization, especially for men who watched the "sexualized-clothing" video. Instead, we found that, while men engaged in emotion-based dehumanization toward the sexualized woman both when they had testosterone and placebo, testosterone increased emotion-based dehumanization toward the conservatively dressed woman. Other forms of dehumanization were not affected by testosterone. We also explored whether personality (e.g., dominance) and biological (e.g., CAG repeat polymorphism) traits that have been found to moderate the effects of testosterone on some social behaviors also moderated the effects examined here, but we did not find any significant moderations. Overall, this experiment revealed a novel physiological mechanism affecting emotion-based dehumanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca R Luberti
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada.
| | - Valentina Proietti
- Department of Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M7, Canada
| | - Shawn N Geniole
- Department of Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M7, Canada; Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Brian M Bird
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3K7, Canada
| | - Triana L Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada
| | - Neil V Watson
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jessica Cearns
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada
| | - Bernard Goldfarb
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada
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Zhong X, Li J, Xu X. Adolescent exposure to bisphenol-a antagonizes androgen regulation of social behavior in male mice. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2024; 105:107374. [PMID: 39097242 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2024.107374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Social behavior is sexually dimorphic, which is regulated by gonadal hormones in the brain. Our recent study found that exposure to low doses of bisphenol-A (BPA) during adolescence, permanently alters social behavior in adult male mice, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using adolescent gonadectomy (GDX) male mice with testosterone propionate (TP, 0.5 mg/kg) supplement (TP-GDX), this study showed that BPA antagonized promoting effects of TP on social interaction, sexual behavior, and aggression in GDX mice. BPA eliminated the reversal effects of TP on GDX-induced decrease in the number of immunoreactive to arginine vasopressin (AVP-ir) neurons in the medial amygdala (MeA) and the levels of AVP receptor 1a (V1aR) in the MeA and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In addition, BPA removed down-regulation in the levels of dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) and DA receptor 1 (DR1) in the NAc of TP-GDX mice. BPA exposure reduced testosterone (T) levels in the brain and serum and the expression of androgen receptor (AR) protein in the amygdala and striatum of sham-operated and TP-GDX males. These results suggest that adolescent exposure to BPA inhibits regulation of androgen in AVP and DA systems of the brain regions associated with social behavior, and thus alters social behaviors of adult male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhong
- Life Science College, Key laboratory of Wildlife Biotechnology and Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, PR China
| | - Jisui Li
- Life Science College, Key laboratory of Wildlife Biotechnology and Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, PR China
| | - Xiaohong Xu
- Life Science College, Key laboratory of Wildlife Biotechnology and Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, PR China.
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Shangase KB, Luvuno M, Mabandla M. Effects of combined postweaning social isolation and ketamine administration on schizophrenia-like behaviour in male Sprague Dawley rats. Behav Brain Res 2024; 476:115214. [PMID: 39182622 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
The pathophysiology behind negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia is not well understood, thus limiting the effectiveness of treatment on these symptoms. Developing reliable animal model of schizophrenia is vital to advance our understanding on the neurobiological basis of the disorder. Double hit is used to refer to the use of two schizophrenia inducing interventions viz ketamine exposure and social isolation. In this study we aim to investigate the robustness of double hit model of schizophrenia in inducing negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. On postnatal day (PND) 23, thirty-two male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly grouped into four equal groups as follows: group housed + saline (GH), group housed + ketamine (GHK), isolated + saline (SI), and isolated + ketamine (SIK). A single ketamine dose (16 mg/kg) was administered 3 times a week for four weeks. Isolated animals were housed singly throughout the study. The following behavioural tests were carried out: elevated plus maze, three chamber social interaction, resident intruder tests, and novel object recognition (NOR). The SIK group exhibited high anxiety levels, with increased ACTH, corticosterone and norepinephrine concentration when compared to the other groups. The SIK animals also presented with reduced social interaction and decreased oxytocin concentration. SIK rats were more aggressive towards a juvenile intruder but had low testosterone concentration. The SIK group or double hit model showed impaired visual learning and memory and increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines. This suggest that the double hit model is more robust in inducing negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia than each treatment alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khanyiso Bright Shangase
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa.
| | - Mluleki Luvuno
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
| | - Musa Mabandla
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
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Aluja A, Balada F, García Ó, Aymamí N, García LF. The Androgen Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Shows a Greater Relationship with Impulsivity than Testosterone in a Healthy Male Sample. Brain Sci 2024; 14:569. [PMID: 38928569 PMCID: PMC11201710 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study was designed to examine the relationships among the impulsivity construct as a personality trait, the dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and testosterone in a sample of 120 healthy middle-aged males (Mage = 44.39; SD = 12.88). The sum of the three BIS-11 scales, the SR, and the five UPPS-P scales correlated with DHEA-S 0.23 (p < 0.006) and testosterone 0.19 (p < 0.04), controlling for age. Partial correlations showed that DHEA-S was significantly related to motor impulsivity (0.24; p < 0.008), Sensitivity to Reward (0.29; p < 0.002), Lack of Premeditation (0.26; p < 0.05), and, to a lesser extent, Sensation Seeking (0.19; p < 0.04) and Positive Urgency (0.19; p < 0.04). Testosterone correlated with attention impulsivity (0.18; p < 0.04), Sensation Seeking (0.18; p < 0.04), and Positive Urgency (0.22; p < 0.01). Sensitivity to Reward, Negative Urgency, and Positive Urgency were significant predictors of DHEA-S (R2 = 0.28), and Positive Urgency for testosterone (R2 = 0.09). Non-parametric LOESS graphical analyses for local regression allowed us to visualize the non-linear relationships between the impulsivity scales with the two androgens, including non-significant trends. We discuss the implications of these results for impulsive biological personality traits, the limitations of our analyses, and the possible development of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Aluja
- Department of Psychology, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain
- Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research, Dr. Pifarré Foundation, 25198 Lleida, Spain; (F.B.); (Ó.G.); (N.A.); (L.F.G.)
| | - Ferran Balada
- Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research, Dr. Pifarré Foundation, 25198 Lleida, Spain; (F.B.); (Ó.G.); (N.A.); (L.F.G.)
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Óscar García
- Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research, Dr. Pifarré Foundation, 25198 Lleida, Spain; (F.B.); (Ó.G.); (N.A.); (L.F.G.)
- Department of Psychology, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
| | - Neus Aymamí
- Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research, Dr. Pifarré Foundation, 25198 Lleida, Spain; (F.B.); (Ó.G.); (N.A.); (L.F.G.)
- Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addictions Service, Santa Maria Hospital of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Luis F. García
- Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research, Dr. Pifarré Foundation, 25198 Lleida, Spain; (F.B.); (Ó.G.); (N.A.); (L.F.G.)
- Department Psychobiology and Methodology of the Health Science, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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Polo P, Fajardo G, Muñoz-Reyes JA, Valenzuela NT, Belinchón M, Figueroa O, Fernández-Martínez A, Deglín M, Pita M. The role of exogenous testosterone and social environment on the expression of sociosexuality and status-seeking behaviors in young Chilean men. Horm Behav 2024; 161:105522. [PMID: 38447330 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone plays an important role as a social hormone. Current evidence suggests that testosterone is positively related to sociosexuality increasing the psychological attitudes toward investing in short-term versus long-term mating and promotes status-seeking behaviors both by dominance and prestige. In addition, the social environment may play an important role in the expression of mating effort through changes in sociosexuality and status-seeking behaviors. However, the causal relationships among the mentioned variables are still debated. We employed a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-individual design, in order to test and integrate the proposed causal relationships between testosterone and social environment over short-term and long-term mating orientation and dominant and prestigious status-seeking behaviors in a sample of 95 young Chilean men. We did not find evidence that the administration of exogenous testosterone increased short-term or decreased long-term mating orientation as expected. Moreover, exogenous testosterone did not affect either aggressive or cooperative behavior failing to support the social status hypothesis. We also did not find any relationship between short or long-term mating orientation with status-seeking behaviors. Finally, we found support for the effect of social environment on sociosexual attitudes but not over status-seeking behaviors. Thus, men reported higher levels of short-term mating orientation in the presence of a woman compared to a man and no differences were found for long-term mating orientation. We argue that sociosexuality may be expressed flexibly, but contextual factors such as the presence of women seem more important than changes in testosterone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Polo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Gabriela Fajardo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Administración y Economía, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jose Antonio Muñoz-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nohelia T Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Montserrat Belinchón
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Oriana Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Marcel Deglín
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile; Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaíso, Chile; Clínica Ciudad del Mar, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Miguel Pita
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Lieberman HR, Caldwell JA, Vartanian O, Carmichael OT, Karl JP, Berryman CE, Gadde KM, Niro PJ, Harris MN, Rood JC, Pasiakos SM. Effects of testosterone enanthate on aggression, risk-taking, competition, mood, and other cognitive domains during 28 days of severe energy deprivation. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:461-478. [PMID: 38038817 PMCID: PMC10884082 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06502-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Behavioral effects of testosterone depend on dose, acute versus sustained formulation, duration of administration, personality, genetics, and endogenous levels of testosterone. There are also considerable differences between effects of endogenous and exogenous testosterone. OBJECTIVES This study was the secondary behavioral arm of a registered clinical trial designed to determine if testosterone protects against loss of lean body mass and lower-body muscle function induced by a severe energy deficit typical of sustained military operations. METHODS Behavioral effects of repeated doses of testosterone on healthy young men whose testosterone was reduced by severe energy deficit were examined. This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study. Effects of four weekly intramuscular injections of testosterone enanthate (200 mg/week, N = 24) or matching placebo (N = 26) were evaluated. Determination of sample size was based on changes in lean body mass. Tasks assessing aggression, risk-taking, competition, social cognition, vigilance, memory, executive function, and mood were repeatedly administered. RESULTS During a period of artificially induced, low testosterone levels, consistent behavioral effects of administration of exogenous testosterone were not observed. CONCLUSIONS Exogeneous testosterone enanthate (200 mg/week) during severe energy restriction did not reliably alter the measures of cognition. Study limitations include the relatively small sample size compared to many studies of acute testosterone administration. The findings are specific to healthy males experiencing severe energy deficit and should not be generalized to effects of other doses, formulations, or acute administration of endogenous testosterone or studies conducted with larger samples using tests of cognitive function designed to detect specific effects of testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harris R Lieberman
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, 01760-5007, USA.
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - John A Caldwell
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, 01760-5007, USA
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Laulima Government Solutions, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Oshin Vartanian
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Owen T Carmichael
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - J Philip Karl
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, 01760-5007, USA
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Claire E Berryman
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, 01760-5007, USA
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Kishore M Gadde
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Philip J Niro
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, 01760-5007, USA
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa N Harris
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Jennifer C Rood
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Stefan M Pasiakos
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, 01760-5007, USA
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Luberti FR, Carré JM. Testosterone's role in modulating human behaviors relevant to mating and parenting. Front Neuroendocrinol 2024; 72:101112. [PMID: 37972861 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) is linked to human mating and parenting. Here, we comprehensively reviewed evidence on whether, in men and women, (1) basal T levels are related to mating and parenting behaviors, (2) T responds to reproduction-relevant cues, (3) acute changes in T map onto subsequent mating and parenting behaviors, and (4) single-dose exogenous T administration causally affects mating and parenting behaviors. We examined whether the available evidence supports trade-off interpretations of T's adaptive function whereby high T levels correspond to greater mating/reproductive effort and competition and low T levels to greater parenting effort and nurturance. We found mixed support for trade-off hypotheses, suggesting that T's function in modulating human mating and parenting might be more nuanced and highly dependent on context and individual trait differences. Results were largely similar for men and women, although studies with women were scarcer than those with men for most behaviors we reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca R Luberti
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7 Canada.
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7 Canada.
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Kanakis GA, Pofi R, Goulis DG, Isidori AM, Armeni E, Erel CT, Fistonić I, Hillard T, Hirschberg AL, Meczekalski B, Mendoza N, Mueck AO, Simoncini T, Stute P, van Dijken D, Rees M, Lambrinoudaki I. EMAS position statement: Testosterone replacement therapy in older men. Maturitas 2023; 178:107854. [PMID: 37845136 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2023.107854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Late-onset hypogonadism is the clinical entity characterised by low testosterone concentrations associated with clinical symptoms in the absence of organic disease in ageing men. It has been associated with metabolic syndrome, reduced bone mineral density, and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risk. Although testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) reverses most of these conditions in young hypogonadal men, the risk/benefit ratio of TRT in older men is debatable. AIM To update the 2015 EMAS statement on TRT in older men with new research on late-onset hypogonadism and TRT. MATERIALS AND METHODS Literature review and consensus of expert opinion. SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS TRT should be offered only to symptomatic older men with confirmed low testosterone concentrations after explaining the uncertainties regarding the long-term safety of this treatment. TRT may be offered to men with severe hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction to improve sexual desire, erectile, and orgasmic function. It should also be considered in hypogonadal men with severe insulin resistance or pre-diabetes mellitus. TRT may also be considered, in combination with proven treatment strategies, for osteoporosis, or for selected patients with persistent mild depressive symptoms and/or low self-perceived quality of life, combined with standard medical care for each condition. TRT is contraindicated in hypogonadal men actively seeking fertility treatment. Due to a lack of data, TRT should not be routinely used in older men to improve exercise capacity/physical function, improve cognitive function, or prevent cognitive decline. TRT must be avoided in older, frail men with known breast cancer or untreated prostate cancer and all men who have had myocardial infarction or stroke within the last four months, and those with severe or decompensated heart failure. The quality of evidence regarding patients with previous prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease is too low to draw definitive conclusions. Any limits on duration of use are arbitrary, and treatment should continue for as long as the man feels the benefits outweigh the risks for him, and decisions must be made on an individual basis. Withdrawal should be considered when hypogonadism is reversed after the resolution of underlying disorder. Short-acting transdermal preparations should be preferred for TRT initiation in older men, but injectable forms may be considered subsequently. Older men on TRT should be monitored at 3, 6, and 12 months after initiation and at least yearly thereafter, or earlier and more frequently if indicated. Evaluation should include assessment of the clinical response, and measurement of total testosterone, haematocrit, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations. Bone density and/or quality should also be assessed. Obese and overweight patients should be encouraged to undergo lifestyle modifications, including exercise and weight loss, to increase endogenous testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- George A Kanakis
- Department of Endocrinology & IVF Unit, Athens Naval and Veteran Affairs Hospital, Athens, Greece.
| | - Riccardo Pofi
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK
| | - Dimitrios G Goulis
- Unit of Reproductive Endocrinology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Andrea M Isidori
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Eleni Armeni
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - C Tamer Erel
- İstanbul-Cerrahpaşa University, Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Ivan Fistonić
- Faculty for Health Studies, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Timothy Hillard
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University Hospitals Dorset, Poole, UK
| | - Angelica-Lindén Hirschberg
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Blazej Meczekalski
- Department of Gynecological Endocrinology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Nicolás Mendoza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Granada, Spain
| | - Alfred O Mueck
- Department of Women's Health, University Hospital Tuebingen, Germany; Beijing OB/GYN Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Tommaso Simoncini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 67, 56100 Pisa, Italy
| | - Petra Stute
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Clinic Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dorenda van Dijken
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OLVG Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Margaret Rees
- Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Irene Lambrinoudaki
- Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
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Bochon L, Bird BM, Watson NV. Excluded and ashamed: Shame proneness interacts with social exclusion and testosterone reactivity to predict behavioral aggression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 157:106355. [PMID: 37573629 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Exclusion from social relationships is a painful experience that may threaten an individual's status and dominance. The steroid hormone testosterone, which fluctuates rapidly in response to such threats, may be implicated in subsequent behavioral action (e.g., aggressive or prosocial responses) that aims to protect or enhance one's status after exclusion. Past research, however, indicates that the link between acute changes in testosterone and behavior depend on context-relevant individual dispositions. In the context of social exclusion, an individual's level of shame proneness-characterized by a tendency to experience shame and to react submissively-is theoretically relevant to the testosterone-induced aggression relationship but has yet to be examined empirically. Here, men (n = 167) were randomly assigned to be socially included or excluded in the virtual ball-tossing game, Cyberball, after which aggressive behavior was examined using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP). Testosterone reactivity was measured via salivary hormone samples collected pre- and post-game. Moderated multiple regression analyses were run to examine the extent to which testosterone reactivity and shame proneness moderated the effect of Cyberball condition on aggression. Results revealed a significant two-way interaction between Cyberball condition and testosterone reactivity, as well as a three-way interaction including shame proneness. For individuals low in shame proneness, exclusion was associated with higher post-cyberball aggression among those who experienced a rise in testosterone but was associated with lower post-cyberball aggression among those who experienced a decrease in testosterone. For individuals high in shame proneness, however, exclusion did not meaningfully affect aggressive responses, regardless of whether they experienced an increase or decrease in testosterone. These findings extend our understanding of the moderating roles of context and disposition on the neuroendocrinology of aggression in social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Bochon
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Brian M Bird
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Neil V Watson
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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10
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Wang Y, Wang H, Cai J, Yu W, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Tang Z. Association Between Estradiol and Human Aggression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:754-762. [PMID: 37678333 PMCID: PMC10662589 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although several studies have examined the association between estradiol and human aggression, a consistent understanding of their correlation has yet to be established. This study aimed to investigate this relationship comprehensively. METHODS We systematically searched five English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) from their inception to June 5, 2023. Two authors independently screened publications and extracted data based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.4, and a random-effects model was used to pool the data. RESULTS We identified 14 eligible studies comprising data from 1820 participants that met the inclusion criteria. This meta-analysis indicated a positive correlation between estradiol and human aggression, albeit a weak one. The pooled Fisher z value was 0.16 (95% confidence interval = 0.05-0.26; I2 = 73%, p <.00001). Furthermore, we found that participants' sex and age, the measures of aggression, and the literature quality might be sources of heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS Human aggression exhibited a weak positive correlation with estradiol concentration, whereas this relationship was influenced by participants' sex and age, the measure of aggression used, and the quality assessment of the literature. Gaining a better understanding of the association between estradiol and aggression could aid in the identification of populations prone to aggression.
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11
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Kelly AM, Thompson RR. Testosterone facilitates nonreproductive, context-appropriate pro- and anti-social behavior in female and male Mongolian gerbils. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105436. [PMID: 37776832 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of literature suggests that testosterone (T) rapidly modulates behavior in a context-specific manner. However, the timescales in which T can rapidly mediate distinct types of behavior, such as pro- vs. anti- social responses, has not been studied. Thus, here we examined acute T influences on social behavior in male and female Mongolian gerbils in nonreproductive contexts. Females and males received an injection of either saline or T and were first tested in a social interaction test with a same-sex, familiar peer. 5 min after the peer interaction, subjects then underwent a resident-intruder test with a novel, same-sex conspecific. After another 5 min, gerbils were tested in a novel object task to test context-specificity (i.e., social vs. nonsocial) of T effects on behavior. Within 1 h, males and females injected with T exhibited more huddling with a peer but more active avoidance of and less time spent in proximity of an intruder than did animals injected with saline. T effects on behavior were specific to social contexts, such that T did not influence investigation of the novel object. Together these findings show that T rapidly promotes pro-social responses to a familiar peer and anti-social responses to an intruder in the same individuals within 5 min of experiencing these disparate social contexts. This demonstrates that T rapidly facilitates behavior in a context-appropriate manner outside the context of reproduction and reveals that rapid effects of T on behavior are not restricted to males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Richmond R Thompson
- Division of Social Sciences, Oxford College of Emory University, 801 Emory Street, Oxford, GA 30054, USA
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12
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Kutlikova HH, Zhang L, Eisenegger C, van Honk J, Lamm C. Testosterone eliminates strategic prosocial behavior through impacting choice consistency in healthy males. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1541-1550. [PMID: 37012404 PMCID: PMC10425362 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01570-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Humans are strategically more prosocial when their actions are being watched by others than when they act alone. Using a psychopharmacogenetic approach, we investigated the endocrinological and computational mechanisms of such audience-driven prosociality. One hundred and ninety-two male participants received either a single dose of testosterone (150 mg) or a placebo and performed a prosocial and self-benefitting reinforcement learning task. Crucially, the task was performed either in private or when being watched. Rival theories suggest that the hormone might either diminish or strengthen audience-dependent prosociality. We show that exogenous testosterone fully eliminated strategic, i.e., feigned, prosociality and thus decreased submission to audience expectations. We next performed reinforcement-learning drift-diffusion computational modeling to elucidate which latent aspects of decision-making testosterone acted on. The modeling revealed that testosterone compared to placebo did not deteriorate reinforcement learning per se. Rather, when being watched, the hormone altered the degree to which the learned information on choice value translated to action selection. Taken together, our study provides novel evidence of testosterone's effects on implicit reward processing, through which it counteracts conformity and deceptive reputation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana H Kutlikova
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Christoph Eisenegger
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jack van Honk
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Claus Lamm
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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13
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Wu Y, Wu Y, Chu L, Yang H, Wang W, Deng H. The Optimal Time-lag for Testosterone Challenge Research Based on Salivary Profiles Following Different Doses of Transdermal Testosterone Administrations. J Mol Neurosci 2023; 73:297-306. [PMID: 37093539 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-023-02118-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, testosterone challenge research examining the effects of testosterone on human neuropsychological behaviors has rapidly grown with the development of a single-dose transdermal testosterone administration paradigm. However, the optimal time-lag between testosterone administration and behavioral measurement is not unified, partly hindering causal understanding of the "testosterone effect". The present study aimed to investigate the optimal time-lag through LC-MS/MS-based salivary profiles of ten biomarkers among healthy males following administration of different doses of transdermal testosterone (i.e., 450- and 150-mg [Androgel®]). Results revealed that testosterone administration significantly increased salivary testosterone levels, reaching maximum levels 2 hours after 450-mg testosterone administration and 1 hour after 150-mg testosterone administration, respectively. Salivary androstenedione and DHEA increased synchronously with testosterone following administration. Moreover, the ratios of testosterone to androstenedione, DHEA, estradiol, and of androstenedione to estrone significantly elevated 1 hour after testosterone administration. In contrast, salivary cortisol and cortisone were decreased over time due to circadian rhythm rather than testosterone administration. Consistent with previous serum studies, the present salivary findings recommended 1-hour post testosterone administration as the optimal time-lag to measure the effects of testosterone on human behaviors in transdermal testosterone challenge research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Institute of Child Development and Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Biopharmaceutical Public Service Platform Co. Ltd, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Liuxi Chu
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Institute of Child Development and Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Haoran Yang
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Institute of Child Development and Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Institute of Child Development and Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Huihua Deng
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science (Southeast University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, 210096, China.
- Institute of Child Development and Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
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14
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Willson C. Misadventures in Toxicology: Concentration Matters for Testosterone-Induced Neurotoxicity. TOXICS 2023; 11:258. [PMID: 36977023 PMCID: PMC10057866 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11030258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Testosterone is the predominant androgen in men and has important physiological functions. Due to declining testosterone levels from a variety of causes, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is increasingly utilized, while testosterone is also abused for aesthetic and performance-enhancing purposes. It has been increasingly speculated that aside from more well-established side effects, testosterone may cause neurological damage. However, the in vitro data utilized to support such claims is limited due to the high concentrations used, lack of consideration of tissue distribution, and species differences in sensitivity to testosterone. In most cases, the concentrations studied in vitro are unlikely to be reached in the human brain. Observational data in humans concerning the potential for deleterious changes in brain structure and function are limited by their inherent design as well as significant potential confounders. More research is needed as the currently available data are limited; however, what is available provides rather weak evidence to suggest that testosterone use or abuse has neurotoxic potential in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Willson
- EuSci LLC, 1309 S 204th St, #293, Elkhorn, NE 68022, USA
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15
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Casto KV, Prasad S, Josephs RA, Zilioli S, Welker K, Maslov A, Jones AC, Mehta PH. No Compelling Evidence that Self-Reported Personality Traits Explain Basal Testosterone and Cortisol’s Associations with Status-Relevant Behavior. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-023-00210-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective
A goal of behavioral neuroendocrinology is to understand how basal hormone levels relate to behavior. Studies of human participants sometimes measure self-reported personality traits, in addition to or instead of direct behavioral observation. Although personality traits often predict their respective behaviors, whether personality explains hormone-behavior relationships remains unclear.
Methods
We obtained data from eight previous studies (total N = 985) that examined baseline testosterone and cortisol as predictors of status-relevant behavior (competitiveness, dominance, risk-taking, aggression, affiliation, and social status). We tested whether the previously reported hormone-behavior relationships are mediated by self-reported personality traits (e.g., trait dominance, prestige, extraversion). As a secondary research question, we also tested whether trait dominance moderated the testosterone-behavior relationships.
Results
As expected, self-reported personality traits often predicted status-relevant behaviors, but there was little evidence that traits also correlated with basal testosterone or the testosterone × cortisol interaction. Across all eight studies, personality traits did not significantly mediate hormone-behavior relationships. Indeed, the effect sizes of the hormone-behavior relationships were robust to the inclusion of personality traits as covariates. Further, we did not find strong or consistent evidence that trait dominance moderates the testosterone-behavior association.
Conclusion
Results suggest that basal testosterone and cortisol predict status-related behavior independent of self-reported personality. We discuss how these results may have broader implications for the physiological mechanisms by which testosterone and cortisol influence behavior, a process that could be unconscious and automatic. We also discuss alternative explanations, limitations, and future directions.
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16
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Wang X, Liao J, Nan Y, Hu J, Wu Y. Can testosterone modulate prosocial learning in healthy males? A double-blind, placebo-controlled, testosterone administration study. Biol Psychol 2023; 178:108524. [PMID: 36801356 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Testosterone is associated with both aggressive and prosocial behavior, which depend on the social context and the trade-off between self- and other-interest. However, little is known about the effects of testosterone on prosocial behavior in a context without such trade-offs. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of exogenous testosterone on prosocial behavior by using a prosocial learning task. Healthy male participants (n =120) received a single dose of testosterone gel in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participants experiment. Participants performed a prosocial learning task in which they were asked to learn to gain rewards for three different recipients, i.e., self, other and computer, by choosing symbols associated with potential rewards. The results showed that testosterone administration increased the learning rates across all the recipient conditions (dother = 1.57; dself = 0.50; dcomputer = 0.99). More importantly, participants in the testosterone group had a higher prosocial learning rate than those in the placebo group (d = 1.57). These findings suggest that testosterone generally enhances reward sensitivity and prosocial learning. The present study corroborates the social status hypothesis, according to which testosterone promotes status-seeking prosocial behavior when it is appropriate to the social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiajun Liao
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Nan
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yin Wu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong.
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17
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Söderqvist G, Naessén S. Androgens impact on psychopathological variables according to CPRS, and EDI 2 scores: In women with bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 226:106217. [PMID: 36368624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bulimia nervosa (BN) is characterized by binge eating, compensatory behavior, over-evaluation of weight and shape, which often co-occur with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Depression is the most common comorbid diagnosis in women with eating disorders. The role of androgens in the pathophysiology of depression has been recognized in recent years. However, the research on psychopathological comorbidity and androgen levels in bulimic disease is sparse. This study aimed to investigate, if there were any correlations between the androgens, testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), androstenedione (A4), 5α-dihydrotestosterone, (5α-DHT), and test scores of psychopathological variables, in women with bulimia nervosa (BN), eating disorder not otherwise specified of purging subtype (EDNOS-P) assessed by CPRS, and EDI 2. Women with DSM-IV diagnosis of BN (n = 36), EDNOS-P (n = 27), and healthy control subjects (n = 58) evaluated for fifteen psychopathological variables, i.a. depressive symptoms, impulsivity, personal traits, as well as serum androgen levels. All women were euthyroid, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis was excluded. Although androgen levels were almost equal for all three groups, significant correlations between core psychopathological symptoms (9/15) of bulimia nervosa and the most potent endogenous androgen, 5α-DHT, was found only in the EDNOS-P group. The role of 5α-DHT in women is not fully elucidated. Both animal and human studies have shown that the brain is able to locally synthesize steroids de novo and is a target of steroid hormones. Maybe these results can be interpreted in the light of differences in androgen receptor variability, metabolism and origin of T and 5α-DHT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Söderqvist
- Department of Women's, and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sabine Naessén
- Department of Women's, and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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18
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Androgen receptor gene and sociosexuality. Does fighting ability moderate the effect of genetics in reproductive strategies? CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-04139-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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19
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Zhao E, Crimmins EM. Mortality and morbidity in ageing men: Biology, Lifestyle and Environment. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2022; 23:1285-1304. [PMID: 35697963 PMCID: PMC9748037 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-022-09737-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Males live shorter lives than women in all countries. The universality of shorter male life expectancy is a 21st Century phenomena. It occurs with the decline in infectious diseases and the rise in cardiovascular diseases accounting for mortality. Male/female differences in morbidity are not as succinctly characterized. Men have a higher prevalence of lethal diseases, which is linked to their lower life expectancy. Women have more non-lethal conditions such as depression and arthritis; which may also be linked in part to longer survival. Men have better physical functioning and less disability which is partly explained by gender differences in diseases and also by their greater strength, size, and stamina. Gender differences in risk factors for disease have changed over time with the prevalence and treatment of risk as well as differential behavior by gender. Examination of what are seen as basic molecular and cellular measures related to aging indicates men age faster than women; however, even these basic biological measures result from a combination of biology, behavior, and social factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erfei Zhao
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089-0191 Los Angeles, CA United States
| | - Eileen M. Crimmins
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089-0191 Los Angeles, CA United States
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20
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Czarna AZ, Ziemiańska M, Pawlicki P, Carré JM, Sedikides C. Narcissism moderates the association between basal testosterone and generosity in men. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105265. [PMID: 36155912 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Research has linked hormones to behavioral outcomes in intricate ways, often moderated by psychological dispositions. The associations between testosterone and antisocial or prosocial outcomes also depend on dispositions relevant to status and dominance. In two studies (N1 = 68, N2 = 83), we investigated whether endogenous testosterone, measured in saliva, and narcissism, a psychological variable highly relevant to status motivation, interactively predicted men's preferences regarding resource allocation. Narcissism moderated the links between testosterone and social value orientation: among low narcissists testosterone negatively predicted generosity in resource allocation and probability of endorsing a prosocial (vs. pro-self) value orientation, whereas among high narcissists testosterone tended to positively predict generosity and the probability of endorsing a prosocial (vs. pro-self) value orientation. We discuss these results as examples of calibrating effects of testosterone on human behavior, serving to increase and maintain social status. We advocate the relevance of psychological dispositions, alongside situations, when examining the role of T in social outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Z Czarna
- Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Stanisława Łojasiewicza 4, 30-348 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Ziemiańska
- Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Stanisława Łojasiewicza 4, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Pawlicki
- Center of Experimental and Innovative Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Redzina 1c, 30-248 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Justin M Carré
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Constantine Sedikides
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, England, United Kingdom.
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21
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Knight EL. Two Routes to Status, One Route to Health: Trait Dominance and Prestige Differentially Associate with Self-reported Stress and Health in Two US University Populations. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 8:461-488. [PMID: 36034092 PMCID: PMC9395955 DOI: 10.1007/s40750-022-00199-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Objective Social status has been extensively linked to stress and health outcomes. However, two routes by which status can be earned - dominance and prestige - may not uniformly relate to lower stress and better health because of inherent behavioral and stress-exposure differences in these two routes. Methods In one exploratory and two preregistered studies, participants (total N = 978) self-reported their trait dominance and prestige and self-reported several stress and health outcomes. Results The meta-effects evident across the three studies indicate that higher trait dominance was associated with worse outcomes - higher stress, poorer physical and mental health, poorer behavioral health, poorer life satisfaction, higher negative affect (range of absolute values of non-zero correlations, |r| = [0.074, 0.315], ps < 0.021) - and higher trait prestige was associated with better outcomes - lower stress, better physical and mental health, better behavioral health, better life satisfaction, higher positive and lower negative mood (|r| = [0.134, 0.478], ps < 0.001). These effects remained evident (with few exceptions) after controlling for socioeconomic status, other status-relevant traits, or self-enhancing motives; associations with behavior relevant to the COVID19 pandemic generally were not robust. Conclusions This work indicates that evolved traits related to the preferred route by which status is earned likely impact self-reported stress and health outcomes. Future research is necessary to examine physiological and other objective indicators of stress and health in more diverse populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40750-022-00199-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik L. Knight
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Muenzinger D244, 345 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0345 USA
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22
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Relation between testosterone, cortisol and aggressive behavior in humans. PSICO 2022. [DOI: 10.15448/1980-8623.2022.1.37133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggression is an evolutionary behavior as it has a role in survival, increasing one’s access to food, shelter, status and reproduction. Testosterone and Cortisol are hormones often linked to aggressive behavior. We gathered and organized data from the last five years on the relation among Testosterone, Cortisol and aggression, while assessing the methods used by those scientific papers. A systematic review was made according to PRISMA guidelines. The search for indexed articles was performed in January 2019 using the keywords aggress* AND Testosterone AND Cortisol in three databases: Web of Science, SCOPUS and PsycInfo. The specific role of Testosterone and Cortisol in aggressive behavior is not unanimous. However, most articles found either an increase in Testosterone or a decrease in Cortisol associated with this behavior. There is the need for standardizing methods of triggering and assessing aggressive behavior, taking into account the assessment of social desirability and its impacts.
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23
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Kelly AM, Gonzalez Abreu JA, Thompson RR. Beyond sex and aggression: testosterone rapidly matches behavioural responses to social context and tries to predict the future. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220453. [PMID: 35673866 PMCID: PMC9174716 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although androgens are widely studied in the context of aggression, androgenic influences on prosocial behaviours have been less explored. We examined testosterone's (T) influence on prosocial and aggressive responses in a positively valenced social context (interacting with a pairbond partner) and a negatively valenced context (interacting with an intruder) in socially monogamous Mongolian gerbils. T increased and decreased prosocial responses in the same individuals towards a pairbond partner and an intruder, respectively, both within 30 min, but did not affect aggression. T also had persistent effects on prosocial behaviour; males in which T initially increased prosocial responses towards a partner continued to exhibit elevated prosocial responses towards an intruder male days later until a second T injection rapidly eliminated those responses. Thus, T surges can rapidly match behaviour to current social context, as well as prime animals for positive social interactions in the future. Neuroanatomically, T rapidly increased hypothalamic oxytocin, but not vasopressin, cellular responses during interactions with a partner. Together, our results indicate that T can facilitate and inhibit prosocial behaviours depending on social context, that it can influence prosocial responses across rapid and prolonged time scales, and that it affects oxytocin signalling mechanisms that could mediate its context-dependent behavioural influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M. Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Richmond R. Thompson
- Division of Social Sciences, Oxford College of Emory University, 801 Emory Street, Oxford GA 30054 USA
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24
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Puiu AA, Votinov M, Habel U, Konrad K. Testosterone administration does not alter the brain activity supporting cognitive and affective empathy. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 10:100134. [PMID: 35755204 PMCID: PMC9216345 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there is evidence that testosterone has deteriorating effects on cognitive and affective empathy, whether testosterone administration influences both routes to understanding others has not yet been simultaneously investigated. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) pharmacological study using a within-subjects, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover design to examine the effects of 100 mg transdermal testosterone administration on brain activation during a task that examines affective and cognitive empathy simultaneously in a sample of 23 healthy right-handed adult men. Relative to placebo, testosterone did not alter affective or cognitive empathy functional brain networks. Instead, the task yielded activation in the canonical networks associated with both types of empathy. Affective empathy yielded activation in the inferior and middle frontal gyri, inferior temporal gyri, and the cingulate cortex. Cognitive empathy was associated with activation of the temporoparietal junction, medial prefrontal cortex, middle and inferior temporal gyri, and temporal pole. Behaviourally, testosterone administration decreased error rates and increased participants' confidence in their responses regardless of response accuracy. Independent of testosterone administration, participants reported higher affective responses during emotionally negative scenarios. Even though our results provide further evidence that testosterone administration in healthy men does not alter brain activity underlying cognitive and affective empathy, testosterone administration does influence the empathic concern and hence socio-cognitive processes. The reproducibility and variability of the current and previous findings should nevertheless be addressed in upcoming studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Alexandru Puiu
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mikhail Votinov
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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Romero-Martínez Á, Sarrate-Costa C, Moya-Albiol L. Reactive vs proactive aggression: A differential psychobiological profile? Conclusions derived from a systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104626. [PMID: 35331815 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Scholars have established subcategories of aggressive behavior in order to better understand this construct. Specifically, a classification based on motivational underpinnings makes it possible to differentiate between reactive and proactive aggression. Whereas reactive aggression is characterized by emotional lability, which means it is prone to impulsive reactions after provocation, proactive aggression is driven by low emotionality and high levels of instrumentality to obtain benefits. Some authors have conceived these two types as having a dichotomous nature, but others argue against this conceptualization, considering a complementary model more suitable. Hence, neuroscientific research might help to clarify discussions about their nature because biological markers do not present the same biases as psychological instruments. AIM The main objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of studies that assess underlying biological markers (e.g., genes, brain, psychophysiological, and hormonal) of reactive and proactive aggression. METHODS To carry out this review, we followed PRISMA quality criteria for reviews, using five digital databases complemented by hand-searching. RESULTS The reading of 3993 abstracts led to the final inclusion of 157 papers that met all the inclusion criteria. The studies included allow us to conclude that heritability accounted for approximately 45% of the explained variance in both types of aggression, with 60% shared by both, especially, for overt and physical expression forms, and 10% specific to each type. Regarding allelic risk factors, whereas low functioning variants affecting serotonin transport and monoaminoxidase increased the risk of reactive aggression, high functioning variants were associated with proactive aggression. Furthermore, brain analysis revealed an overlap between the two types of aggression and alterations in the volume of the amygdala and temporal cortex. Moreover, high activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) facilitated proneness to both types of aggression equally. Whereas stimulation of the right ventrolateral (VLPFC) and dorsolateral (DLPFC) reduced proneness to aggression, inhibition of the left DLPFC increased it. Finally, psychophysiological and hormonal correlates in general did not clearly differentiate between the two types because they were equally related to each type (e.g., low basal cortisol and vagal variability in response to acute stress) CONCLUSIONS: This study reinforces the complementary model of both types of aggression instead of a dichotomous model. Additionally, this review also offers background about several treatments (i.e., pharmacological, non-invasive brain techniques…) to reduce aggression proneness.
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Sansone A, Jannini TB, Dolci S, Jannini EA. Castration and emasculation in the middle age. The andrological conundrum of Peter Abelard. Andrology 2022; 10:825-836. [PMID: 35355434 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
: Peter Abelard (1079 - 1142) is still considered one of the giants of philosophy, theology, and psychology, and the unsurpassed master of dialectical debate. Born in Le Pallet, near Nantes, Abelard became an academic and wandering cleric of great fame, founder of several schools that attracted students from all countries, arousing the admiration of his contemporaries and the profound envy of his colleagues. Around 1115, Abelard became master of the school of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. Shortly after, the canon Fulbert asked him to take his niece, the equally famous and highly cultured Héloïse d'Argenteuil (1092 ? - 1164), as a pupil. Thus a relationship began, celebrated for centuries to come, characterized by burning sexual and intellectual passion, famous correspondence which will be the archetype of sentimental education and the template of romantic love letters, the birth of a son and consequent marriage, and the cowardly revenge of Fulbert, who, together with a band of servants, mutilated<<those parts of my body with which I had done what was the cause of their pain>>, as Abelard wrote. While this unclear self-description has suggested to contemporaries and to posterity that Abelard was castrated, we aim to question this belief by analyzing in-depth this historical-andrological clinical case to understand if there is any evidence that could suggest that Abelard was instead the victim of an even more brutal punishment: penectomy. Signs and symptoms gleaned from the personal writings and historical perspectives of Abelard and his time are used here to provide a possible answer to a thousand-year-old question: what makes a man … a man? This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Sansone
- Chair of Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX), Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Tommaso B Jannini
- School of Psychiatry, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Susanna Dolci
- Chair of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata
| | - Emmanuele A Jannini
- Chair of Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX), Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
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Wang H, Zhen Z, Zhu R, Yu B, Qin S, Liu C. Help or punishment: acute stress moderates basal testosterone's association with prosocial behavior. Stress 2022; 25:179-188. [PMID: 35435122 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2022.2054696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The gonadal hormone testosterone is well-recognized to facilitate various behaviors for obtaining social status. A good reputation (i.e. competitive, generous, and trustworthy) is of crucial importance for acquiring high social status. It is unclear which type of reputation is preferred by individuals under the influence of testosterone. Given that the recent dual-hormone hypothesis emphasizes the modulating effect of stress (cortisol) on the influence of testosterone, it would be intriguing to test the role of stress-induced cortisol in testosterone-related reputation seeking. To test this hypothesis, we induced acute stress in 93 participants with cold pressor test (CPT) paradigm (vs. control condition), and then they were instructed to play a third-party intervention game, in which they made decisions as an uninvolved, outside the third party to punish a violator, help a victim, or do nothing. Salivary samples were obtained to assess participants' testosterone and cortisol levels. We split the testosterone concentration by median to low endogenous testosterone (LT) and high endogenous testosterone (HT). We found that HT individuals' prosocial preferences did not affect by acute stress. They were more likely to choose punishment than helping under both stress and control conditions. In contrast, individuals with low testosterone were more inclined to help than punish under control conditions. Interestingly, acute stress brought behavior patterns of LT individuals closer to those of HT individuals, that is, they reduced their helping behavior and increased the intensity of punishments. In this preliminary study on the preference inducement of testosterone for different types of prosocial behaviors, we discuss the physiological mechanism of the relationship between testosterone and reputation and the implications of these results for the dual-hormone hypothesis.HIGHLIGHTSLow testosterone (LT) individuals were more inclined to help than punish.High testosterone (HT) individuals were more inclined to punish than help.The HT individuals' preferences for prosocial types were not affected by acute stress.Acute stress brought the behavior patterns of LT individuals closer to those of HT individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huagen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Zhen
- Psychological Health Education and Counseling Center, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruida Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Bohai Yu
- Medical Laboratory Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Meij L, Pulopulos MM, Hidalgo V, Almela M, Lila M, Roney JR, Salvador A. Hormonal changes of intimate partner violence perpetrators in response to brief social contact with women. Aggress Behav 2022; 48:30-39. [PMID: 34605041 PMCID: PMC9293448 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated whether men with a history of real‐life aggressive, dominant behavior show increases in testosterone and cortisol levels after brief social contact with women. Furthermore, we tested the prediction that such changes in hormones would be larger than those observed previously in young male students. Sixty‐seven male participants convicted of intimate partner violence (IPV) either had brief social contact with a female confederate (experimental condition) or a male confederate (control condition). We also performed meta‐analyses to investigate whether IPV perpetrators' hormonal responses were larger than the typical responses of young male students in prior studies. All statistical analyses were preregistered. Change in testosterone did not differ across experimental conditions, and testosterone in the IPV perpetrators actually declined from baseline in the female confederate condition. Our meta‐analysis showed that this testosterone decrease was different from the testosterone increase typically observed in young male students. The cortisol levels of IPV perpetrators did not change in response to contact with women. This result was consistent with our meta‐analysis since young male students also did not experience a cortisol change in response to interactions with women. In sum, our findings provide no evidence that male IPV perpetrators exhibit larger hormone increases to brief interactions with women, although it is possible that the men in this sample did not perceive the social contact period as a courtship opportunity. These results suggest that hormone reactivity to social encounters may differ across subject populations and depend on how subjects perceive social situations within laboratory settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leander Meij
- Department of Industrial Engineering Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Matias M. Pulopulos
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology Ghent University Ghent Belgium
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- IIS Aragón, Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology University of Zaragoza Teruel Spain
| | - Mercedes Almela
- Health Department Valencian International University (VIU) Valencia Spain
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology Tilburg University Tilburg The Netherlands
| | - Marisol Lila
- Department of Social Psychology University of Valencia Valencia Spain
| | - James R. Roney
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, IDOCAL University of Valencia Valencia Spain
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Wuyts E, Morrens M. The Biology of BDSM: A Systematic Review. J Sex Med 2022; 19:144-157. [PMID: 36963978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION BDSM is an abbreviation used to reference the concepts of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism, enacted by power exchanges between consensual partners. In recent years, attention has shifted from the idea of BDSM as a pathological and tabooed niche practice towards viewing BDSM as a healthy form of intimacy. AIM This systematic review brings together all existing literature on the biology of BDSM and places it in a broader biological context. METHODS A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science and PsycARTICLES, of which 10 articles are included and discussed in this systematic review. RESULTS There is evidence for cortisol changes in submissives as a result of a BDSM interaction, suggesting involvement of the physiological stress system. Endocannabinoid changes implicate the pleasure and reward system. In dominants, this biologically measured pleasure seemed to be dependent on power play rather than pain play. Testosterone and oxytocin are also implicated in BDSM, though their role is less evident. Research into brain region activity patterns related to BDSM interest suggests a role for the parietal operculum and ventral striatum in the context of the pleasure and reward system, the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex in the context of pain perception, empathy-related circuits such as the anterior insula, anterior midcingulate cortex and sensorimotor cortex and the left frontal cortex in the context of social and sexual interactions. Pain thresholds are shown to be higher in submissive individuals and a BDSM interaction may cause pain thresholds to rise in submissives as well. CONCLUSION BDSM interactions are complex and influenced by several psychological, social and biological processes. Though research is limited, there is emerging evidence for an interaction between several biological systems involved in these types of interests and activities. This means there is an important role for future research to replicate and supplement current results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Wuyts
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Manuel Morrens
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- University Department of Psychiatry, Campus Duffel, Duffel, Belgium
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A Combined Administration of Testosterone and Arginine Vasopressin Affects Aggressive Behavior in Males. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11121623. [PMID: 34942928 PMCID: PMC8699569 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is modulated by many factors, including personality and cognition, as well as endocrine and neural changes. To study the potential effects on the reaction to provocation, which was realized by an ostensible opponent subtracting money from the participant, we administered testosterone (T) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) or a respective placebo (PL). Forty males underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging session while performing a provocation paradigm. We investigated differential hormone effects and the potential influence of Machiavellian traits on punishment choices (monetary subtractions by the participant) in the paradigm. Participants in the T/AVP group subtracted more money when they were not provoked but showed increased activation in the inferior frontal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule during feedback compared to PL. Higher Machiavellian traits significantly increased punishing behavior independent of provocation only in this group. The pilot study shows that T/AVP affects neural and behavioral responses during a provocation paradigm while personality characteristics, such as Machiavellian trait patterns, specifically interact with hormonal influences (T/AVP) and their effects on behavior.
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Luberti FR, Reside TL, Bonin PL, Carré JM. Development of a single-dose intranasal testosterone administration paradigm for use in men and women. Horm Behav 2021; 136:105046. [PMID: 34488062 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
For over two decades, researchers in the field of human social neuroendocrinology have been using single-dose pharmacological challenge protocols to determine the causal effects of testosterone on psychological, behavioural, and neural processes. Most of these single-dose administration studies have so far used (1) single-sex samples and (2) varying modes of testosterone administration (intramuscular, transdermal, sublingual, and intranasal) that produced vastly different dose-response curves. Moreover, whereas studies with male participants increased men's testosterone concentrations within the high normal physiological range, studies with women typically increased testosterone concentrations to supraphysiological levels. The purpose of this study was to develop a single-dose administration protocol using intranasal testosterone that would produce a proportionally similar rise in testosterone for both sexes. We found that an 11 mg intranasal testosterone dose in men and a 0.3 mg dose in women raised testosterone concentrations to the high normal physiological range for each sex, producing similar dose-response dynamics in both sexes. This paradigm will allow researchers to design studies with mixed-sex samples that test physiologically plausible sex differences/similarities in the causal effects of testosterone. It will also provide a replicable protocol to examine the possible adaptive functions of acute increases in testosterone in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tracy-Lynn Reside
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada; School of Physical Health and Education, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Pierre L Bonin
- Family Medicine, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada.
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Stanton SJ, Welker KM, Bonin PL, Goldfarb B, Carré JM. The effect of testosterone on economic risk-taking: A multi-study, multi-method investigation. Horm Behav 2021; 134:105014. [PMID: 34214918 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone has been suggested to influence individuals' economic decision making, yet the effects of testosterone on economic behavior are not well-understood and existing research is equivocal. In response, in three studies, we examined the extent to which testosterone affected or was associated with several different facets of economic decision making. Study 1 was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects study examining loss aversion and risk-taking (N = 26), whereas Study 2 was a larger double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects study examining loss aversion and risk-taking behavior (N = 117). As a methodological compliment, Study 3 was a larger correlational design (N = 213) with a highly accurate measure of endogenous testosterone examining a wider range of economic behaviors and trait-like preferences. Broadly, the results of all three studies suggest no consistent relationship between testosterone and financial behavior or preferences. Although there were significant effects in specific cases, these findings did not replicate in other studies or would not remain significant when controlling for family-wise error rate. We consider potential contextual moderators that may determine under what circumstances testosterone affects economic decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Stanton
- 420 Elliott Hall, School of Business Administration, Oakland University, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd., Rochester, MI 48309, United States of America.
| | | | - Pierre L Bonin
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Bernard Goldfarb
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada.
| | - Justin M Carré
- Nipissing University, 100 College Drive, North Bay P1B 8L7, Ontario, Canada.
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Severe Cardiac and Metabolic Pathology Induced by Steroid Abuse in a Young Individual. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11081313. [PMID: 34441248 PMCID: PMC8394374 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11081313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgenic-Anabolic Steroids (AAS) abuse is known to play an important role in causing the systemic inflammatory response and multiple-organ dysfunction in healthy individuals. Although many of the undesirable effects of steroid abuse have been reported, at present, little is known about the effect of anabolic supplements and the correlation between cardiac and metabolic pathology. This paper presents a case of a 25 year old patient with a complex medical history after 6 months of steroid administration. Myocardial infraction, dyslipidemia, obesity, hyperuricemia, secondary diabetes, and chronic renal disease were identified after clinical and para-clinical examinations. The particularities of this case were interpreted in the context of a literature review, highlighting the effect of multi-organ damage as a result of the uncontrolled use of anabolic steroid supplements.
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McKenna BG, Huang Y, Vervier K, Hofammann D, Cafferata M, Al-Momani S, Lowenthal F, Zhang A, Koh JY, Thenuwara S, Brueggeman L, Bahl E, Koomar T, Pottschmidt N, Kalmus T, Casten L, Thomas TR, Michaelson JJ. Genetic and morphological estimates of androgen exposure predict social deficits in multiple neurodevelopmental disorder cohorts. Mol Autism 2021; 12:43. [PMID: 34108004 PMCID: PMC8190870 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00450-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display a strong male bias. Androgen exposure is profoundly increased in typical male development, but it also varies within the sexes, and previous work has sought to connect morphological proxies of androgen exposure, including digit ratio and facial morphology, to neurodevelopmental outcomes. The results of these studies have been mixed, and the relationships between androgen exposure and behavior remain unclear. METHODS Here, we measured both digit ratio masculinity (DRM) and facial landmark masculinity (FLM) in the same neurodevelopmental cohort (N = 763) and compared these proxies of androgen exposure to clinical and parent-reported features as well as polygenic risk scores. RESULTS We found that FLM was significantly associated with NDD diagnosis (ASD, ADHD, ID; all [Formula: see text]), while DRM was not. When testing for association with parent-reported problems, we found that both FLM and DRM were positively associated with concerns about social behavior ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], respectively). Furthermore, we found evidence via polygenic risk scores (PRS) that DRM indexes masculinity via testosterone levels ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), while FLM indexes masculinity through a negative relationship with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). Finally, using the SPARK cohort (N = 9419) we replicated the observed relationship between polygenic estimates of testosterone, SHBG, and social functioning ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] for testosterone and SHBG, respectively). Remarkably, when considered over the extremes of each variable, these quantitative sex effects on social functioning were comparable to the effect of binary sex itself (binary male: [Formula: see text]; testosterone: [Formula: see text] from 0.1%-ile to 99.9%-ile; SHBG: [Formula: see text] from 0.1%-ile to 99.9%-ile). LIMITATIONS In the devGenes and SPARK cohorts, our analyses rely on indirect, rather than direct measurement of androgens and related molecules. CONCLUSIONS These findings and their replication in the large SPARK cohort lend support to the hypothesis that increasing net androgen exposure diminishes capacity for social functioning in both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yongchao Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Kévin Vervier
- Host-Microbiota Interactions Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | | | - Mary Cafferata
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Seima Al-Momani
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, USA
| | | | - Angela Zhang
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, USA
| | - Jin-Young Koh
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | | | - Leo Brueggeman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Ethan Bahl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Tanner Koomar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | | | - Taylor Kalmus
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Lucas Casten
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Taylor R Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
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Pope HG, Kanayama G, Hudson JI, Kaufman MJ. Review Article: Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids, Violence, and Crime: Two Cases and Literature Review. Am J Addict 2021; 30:423-432. [PMID: 33870584 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use has become a major worldwide substance use disorder, affecting tens of millions of individuals. Importantly, it is now increasingly recognized that some individuals develop uncharacteristically violent or criminal behaviors when using AAS. We sought to summarize available information on this topic. METHODS We reviewed the published literature on AAS-induced behavioral effects and augmented this information with extensive observations from our clinical and forensic experience. RESULTS It is now generally accepted that some AAS users develop uncharacteristically violent or criminal behaviors while taking these drugs. Although these behaviors may partially reflect premorbid psychopathology, sociocultural factors, or expectational effects, accumulating evidence suggests that they are also attributable to biological effects of AAS themselves. The mechanism of these effects remains speculative, but preliminary data suggest a possible role for brain regions involved in emotional reactivity, such as the amygdala and regions involved in cognitive control, including the frontal cortex. For unknown reasons, these effects appear idiosyncratic; most AAS users display few behavioral effects, but a minority develops severe effects. CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Professionals encountering AAS users in clinical or forensic settings should be alert to the possibility of AAS-induced violence or criminality and should employ strategies to assess whether AAS is indeed a contributory factor in a given case. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism of AAS-induced violence and to explain why only a subset of AAS users appears vulnerable to these effects. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00-00).
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison G Pope
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Gen Kanayama
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James I Hudson
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marc J Kaufman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
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36
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Testosterone reduces generosity through cortical and subcortical mechanisms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2021745118. [PMID: 33723066 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021745118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence has linked testosterone, a major sex hormone, to selfishness in economic decision-making. Here, we aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms through which testosterone reduces generosity by combining functional MRI with pharmacological manipulation among healthy young males in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject design. After testosterone or placebo gel administration, participants performed a social discounting task in which they chose between selfish options (benefiting only the participant) and generous options (providing also some benefit to another person at a particular social distance). At the behavioral level, testosterone reduced generosity compared to the placebo. At the neural level (n = 60), the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) encoded the other-regarding value of the generous option during generous choices, and this effect was attenuated by testosterone, suggesting that testosterone reduced the consideration of other's welfare as underpinned by TPJ activity. Moreover, TPJ activity more strongly reflected individual differences in generosity in the placebo than the testosterone group. Furthermore, testosterone weakened the relation between the other-regarding value of generous decisions and connectivity between the TPJ and a region extending from the insula into the striatum. Together, these findings suggest that a network encompassing both cortical and subcortical components underpins the effects of testosterone on social preferences.
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Casto KV, Edwards DA. Individual differences in hormonal responsiveness to social encounters: Commentary on Félix et al., 2020 and review of pertinent issues. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104921. [PMID: 33428922 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The results of a recent study, Félix et al., 2020, give new information about the behavioral and endocrine correlates of individual differences in the potential for androgen response in male cichlid fish. We think the study raises issues that are pertinent to the study of hormones and competition in other species, particularly humans. Focusing mostly on androgen reactivity to social challenge, we emphasize the importance of inter-individual variability in physiology, personality, and motivation in studies of hormone responses to social encounters. Additionally, we give special attention to matters of "repeatability" and the timing of hormone sampling. We conclude with an appreciation of the value of comparative analysis in behavioral endocrinology.
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Satchell LP, Mayes HS, Lee AJ, O’Reilly LC, Akehurst L, Morris P. Is threat in the way they move? Influences of static and gait information on threat judgments of unknown people. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-020-00249-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Risks of Serious Injury with Testosterone Treatment. Am J Med 2021; 134:84-94.e6. [PMID: 32926849 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Injury causes significant morbidity and mortality that is sometimes attributed to testosterone and violence. We hypothesized that prescribed testosterone might be associated with the subsequent risk of serious injury. METHODS We conducted a self-matched individual-patient exposure-crossover analysis comparing injury risks before and after initiation of testosterone. We selected adults treated with testosterone in Ontario, Canada, from October 1, 2012, to October 1, 2017 (enrollment) and continued until October 1, 2018 (follow-up). The primary outcome was defined as an acute traumatic event that required emergency medical care. RESULTS A total of 64,386 patients were treated with testosterone of whom 89% were men with a median age of 52 years. We identified 34,439 serious injuries during the baseline interval before starting testosterone (584 per month) and 7349 serious injuries during the subsequent interval after starting testosterone (565 per month). Rates of injuries were substantially above the population norm in both intervals with no significant increased risk after starting testosterone (relative risk = 1.00; 95% confidence interval: 0.96-1.04, P = 0.850). The unchanged risk extended to diverse patients, was observed for different formulations and applied to all injury mechanisms. In contrast, testosterone treatment was associated with a 48% increased risk of a thromboembolic event (relative risk = 1.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.25-1.74, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Testosterone treatment was associated with a substantial baseline risk of serious injury that did not increase further after starting therapy. Physicians prescribing testosterone could consider basic safety reminders to mitigate injury risks.
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Han C, Watkins CD, Nan Y, Ou J, Lei X, Li X, Wu Y. Exogenous testosterone decreases men's sensitivity to vocal cues of male dominance. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104871. [PMID: 33058835 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Assessing dominance is important for effective social interactions, and prior research suggests that testosterone is associated with men's dominance perceptions. The present study tested for a causal effect of exogenous testosterone on men's sensitivity to vocal cues of other men's dominance, an important parameter in male-male competition across species. One hundred and thirty-nine Chinese men received a single dose (150 mg) of testosterone or placebo gel in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant design. Participants reported their own dominance and judged other men's dominance from voices. Men's dominance sensitivity was significantly weaker in the testosterone group compared to those in the placebo group. Moreover, men's dominance sensitivity was negatively associated with their self-reported dominance in our Chinese sample, consistent with findings from Western populations. These results indicate that exogenous testosterone has a causal effect in decreasing men's dominance sensitivity, consistent with the Challenge Hypothesis, suggesting that the fluctuation of testosterone concentration mediates individuals' behaviors. Additionally, the present study could motivate further work on vocal assessment in the context of competition in humans and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyang Han
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Christopher D Watkins
- Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Yu Nan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianxin Ou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue Lei
- School of Business Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangqian Li
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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Chegeni R, Notelaers G, Pallesen S, Sagoe D. Aggression and Psychological Distress in Male and Female Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Users: A Multigroup Latent Class Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:629428. [PMID: 34149470 PMCID: PMC8211877 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.629428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use and aggression and psychological distress requires further elucidation. No previous study has examined whether the latent patterns of aggression and psychological distress are the same in male and female AAS users. Multigroup latent class analysis (MLCA) can be used to classify individuals into groups based on their responses on a set of variables, and to investigate measurement invariance across subgroups. We therefore conducted a MLCA to identify discrete subgroups of aggression and psychological distress in AAS users, and used measurement invariance to examine whether the identified subgroups can be applied to both sexes. We also examined the relationship between sex and subgroup belongingness. The sample comprised 206 AAS users (females = 58.30%) aged 14-56 (mean = 26.86, SD = 7.12) years. They completed questionnaires assessing demographics, AAS use, aggression, and psychological distress. Based on the MLCA, five subgroups were identified: high aggression moderate distress users (HAMoD: 07.63%), moderate aggression distress users (18.64%), moderate direct aggression-mild indirect aggression moderate distress users (22.95%), mild direct aggression-moderate indirect aggression-distress users (11.71%), and low aggression mild distress users (LAMiD: 39.06%). Although a homogenous five-class solution was the best model for both sexes, sex was significantly associated with the probability of subgroup membership. In particular, members of the HAMoD subgroup were more likely to be male whereas members of the LAMiD subgroup were more likely to be female. Our study provides novel empirical evidence of the idiosyncratic patterns of aggression and psychological distress among male and female AAS users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razieh Chegeni
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Guy Notelaers
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ståle Pallesen
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Optentia, The Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
| | - Dominic Sagoe
- Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Anabolic-androgenic steroid administration increases self-reported aggression in healthy males: a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:1911-1922. [PMID: 33745011 PMCID: PMC8233285 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05818-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Aggression and irritability are notable psychiatric side effects of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use. However, no previous study has systematically reviewed and quantitatively synthesized effects reported by experimental studies on this topic. OBJECTIVE We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of AAS administration on self-reported and observer-reported aggression. METHODS Twelve RCTs comprising a total of 562 healthy males were identified through systematic searches of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, ISI Web of Science, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library. RESULTS After excluding one outlier, AAS administration was associated with an increase in self-reported aggression under a random-effects model, albeit small (Hedges' g = 0.171, 95% CI: 0.029-0.312, k = 11, p = .018), and when restricting the analysis to the effect of acute AAS administration on self-reported aggression under a fixed-effect model (g = 0.291, 95% CI: 0.014-0.524, p = .014). However, the above effects were neither replicated in the analysis of observer-reported aggression nor after restricting the analysis to the effects of the administration of higher (over 500 mg) and long-term (3 days to 14 weeks) doses. CONCLUSIONS The present meta-analysis provides evidence of an increase, although small, in self-reported aggression in healthy males following AAS administration in RCTs. Ecologically rational RCTs are warranted to better explore the effect of AAS administration on aggression in humans.
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Thilakaratne RA, Malig BJ, Basu R. Examining the relationship between ambient carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and mental health-related emergency department visits in California, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 746:140915. [PMID: 32745847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests air pollutants may harm the central nervous system, potentially impacting mental health. However, such impacts of air pollutants on mental health and the sub-populations most affected remain poorly understood, especially in California. We examined the relationship between short-term ambient carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits in California from 2005 to 2013. Daily mean concentrations of the pollutants were acquired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System Data Mart ground monitoring data. Moving averages of pollutant concentrations were linked to counts of ED visits obtained from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Seven mental health outcomes, defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes, were studied: all mental disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, homicide/inflicted injury, and suicide/self-harm. Monitor-level associations were estimated with quasi-Poisson regression models and combined using random-effects meta-analysis. CO and NO2 were found to be positively associated with ED visits due to homicide/inflicted injury, with the warm season (May-October) driving the CO association. An interquartile range (IQR) (0.28 ppm) increase in two-day average CO during the warm season was associated with a 3.13% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43, 4.84) elevation in risk of an ED visit due to homicide/inflicted injury (n = 122,749 ED visits). An IQR (10.79 ppb) increase in two-day average NO2 was associated with a 2.60% (95% CI: 1.17, 4.05) elevation in risk of an ED visit due to homicide/inflicted injury (n = 206,919 ED visits). Subgroup analyses indicated children, Hispanics, and males were particularly vulnerable. Except for an inverse relationship between NO2 and substance abuse, neither pollutant was robustly associated with visits due to other mental health morbidities. Our results suggest short-term elevations in CO and NO2 may promote violent behavior. Further investigation in other populations and ranges of air pollution exposure is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruwan A Thilakaratne
- Air and Climate Epidemiology Section, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay Street, 16th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Brian J Malig
- Air and Climate Epidemiology Section, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay Street, 16th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Rupa Basu
- Air and Climate Epidemiology Section, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 1515 Clay Street, 16th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612, USA.
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Fang H, Li X, Wu Y, Peng W. Single dose testosterone administration modulates the temporal dynamics of distractor processing. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 121:104838. [PMID: 32871336 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Some evidence suggests that testosterone can increase attentional orientation toward biologically relevant stimuli and increase sustained attention during goal-oriented behaviors. While rare irregular distractors often capture attention involuntarily and distract us away from the task at hand, we hypothesized that testosterone might (1) facilitate attentional orientation to novel distractors that are of potential behavioral relevance and (2) inhibit information processing of distractors that are irrelevant to the task. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of testosterone on distractor processing in a novelty oddball task, during which infrequent target and distractor sounds were interspersed within a series of frequent non-target sounds. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-participant design, we administered a single dose of either testosterone or placebo to 34 healthy male volunteers and compared their electroencephalographic responses to distractors. Increased amplitude of the early (260-310 ms) P3 component-which has been associated with phasic arousal and alertness triggered by novel stimuli-was observed in the testosterone session than in the placebo session. This early-P3 response mediated the effect of testosterone administration on target hit rate during the task. In addition, less α-oscillation suppression-which has been associated with the inhibition of task-irrelevant information processing-was observed in response to distractors later (538-757 ms) in the testosterone session than in the placebo session. These results suggest that testosterone facilitated phasic arousal to novel distractors during the early-latency stage, which might have influenced behavioral performance during the task. Furthermore, testosterone inhibited task-irrelevant information processing during the late-latency stage, which allowed better reorientation of attention back to the primary task. Our findings highlight the role of testosterone in distractor processing, and provide a theoretical basis for treating attention-related behavioral disorders with hormone therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihua Fang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yin Wu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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45
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Solheim SA, Mørkeberg J, Juul A, Freiesleben SY, Upners EN, Dehnes Y, Nordsborg NB. An Intramuscular Injection of Mixed Testosterone Esters Does Not Acutely Enhance Strength and Power in Recreationally Active Young Men. Front Physiol 2020; 11:563620. [PMID: 33071818 PMCID: PMC7538707 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.563620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Limited data are available on the acute performance-enhancing effects of single-dose administration of testosterone in healthy humans. Studies of testosterone administrations to healthy humans are rare due to the difficult nature and necessity of close clinical monitoring. However, our unique physiological experimental facilities combined with close endocrinological collaboration have allowed us to safely complete such a study. We tested the hypothesis that an intramuscular injection of 250 mg mixed testosterone esters (TEs) enhances physical performance in strength and power exercises acutely, measured 24 h after injection. Additionally, we investigated whether the basal serum testosterone concentration influences the performance in countermovement jump (CMJ), 30-s all out cycle sprint, and one-arm isometric elbow flexion. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 19 eugonadal men received either a TE (n = 9, 23 ± 1 years, 183 ± 7 cm, 83 ± 10 kg) or a PLA (n = 10, 25 ± 2 years, 186 ± 6 cm, 82 ± 14 kg) injection. Hormonal levels and the performance in CMJ, 30-s all out cycle sprint, and one-arm isometric elbow flexion were measured before and 24 h after injection. Results: Firstly, an intramuscular injection of 250 mg mixed TEs did not enhance the vertical jump height in a CMJ test, peak power, mean power, and fatigue index in a 30-s all-out cycle sprint or rate of force development and maximal voluntary contraction in a one-arm isometric elbow flexion 24 h post-injection. Secondly, baseline testosterone levels appeared not to influence performance in strength and power exercises to a large extent in healthy, recreationally active young men. Conclusion: A single intramuscular injection of 250 mg mixed TEs has no acute ergogenic effects on strength and power performance in recreationally active, young men. This novel information has implication for basic physiological understanding. Whether the same applies to an elite athlete population remains to be determined. If so, this would have implications for anti-doping efforts aiming to determine the most cost-efficient testing programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Amalie Solheim
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Anti Doping Denmark, Brøndby, Denmark
| | | | - Anders Juul
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stine Yde Freiesleben
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emmie N Upners
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yvette Dehnes
- Norwegian Doping Control Laboratory, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Wrzosek M, Woźniak J, Włodarek D. The causes of adverse changes of testosterone levels in men. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2020; 15:355-362. [PMID: 33076711 DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2020.1813020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As men age, progressive testosterone deficiency syndrome becomes an increasingly common problem. However, the decreased testosterone levels are not only the result of advanced age. AREAS COVERED PubMed search of published data on testosterone, nutritional deficiency, stress, sleep, and obesity. Many factors impact the male HPG axis (the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal), including body weight, calorific and nutritional value of a diet, the amount and quality of sleep, as well as the level of stress. In the case of persons of healthy weight, a below-average calorific value of a diet may decrease the levels of testosterone in men. On the other hand, the same caloric deficiency in obese persons may result in a neutral or positive impact on testosterone levels. EXPERT OPINION Many factors, including external, environmental and internal factors, influence testosterone levels. Undoubtedly, nutritional deficiency, and particularly of such nutrients as zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, together with low polyphenols intake, affects the HPG axis. The levels of mental and oxidative stress can also adversely impact the axis. Hence, a diagnosis of the cause of disturbance in testosterone levels depends on many factors and requires a broad range of research, as well as a change of patients' lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Wrzosek
- Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS - SGGW) , Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub Woźniak
- Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS - SGGW) , Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz Włodarek
- Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS - SGGW) , Warsaw, Poland
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Hodges-Simeon CR, Grail GPO, Albert G, Landry N, Ortiz TL, Carré JM, McHale TS, Arnocky SA. Testosterone, cortisol, and secretory immunoglobulin-A within a single day and across two sequential days among trans- and cis-gender men. Steroids 2020; 160:108640. [PMID: 32298661 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2020.108640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research on the association between testosterone (T) and immunity has produced conflicting results. OBJECTIVES We address two potential reasons for these empirical inconsistencies in the present research. First, the association between T and immunity may depend on which branch of the immune system is considered. Here, we examine secretory IgA (sIgA), a measure of mucosal immunity functionally related to respiratory infection risk. Second, the association between T and immunity may depend on a third regulatory variable. Therefore, we examine the interaction between T and cortisol (CORT) as well as their independent and combined effects on mucosal immunity. To do this, we explore intra-individual associations between sIgA, CORT, and T within a single day (i.e., morning vs. evening) and across 2 sequential mornings. We target two samples of men: (1) cisgender (i.e., born and identifying as men), and (2) transgender (i.e., born female but identifying as men) undergoing T therapy for gender realignment. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred and forty-eight adult men (transgender n = 29) provided saliva samples at three time points: (1) upon waking, (2) before sleep on the same day, and (3) upon waking the following day. Samples were assayed in duplicate for sIgA, T and CORT. RESULTS For cisgender men, sIgA, T, and CORT exhibited clear circadian rhythms and were significantly related within and between samples. For transgender men, evidence for circadian change was found for sIgA and CORT, but not T. Further, sIgA was associated with CORT, but not T. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first evidence that salivary T and sIgA concentrations are associated within a single day and across sequential days for cisgender men. Differences between cis- and transgender men suggest that this may only be true for T levels driven by endogenous production; however, future studies should employ a larger sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Graham P O Grail
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Forensic Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States
| | - Graham Albert
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicholas Landry
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Triana L Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy S McHale
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, United States
| | - Steven A Arnocky
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
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48
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Zitzmann M. Testosterone, mood, behaviour and quality of life. Andrology 2020; 8:1598-1605. [DOI: 10.1111/andr.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Zitzmann
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology/Clinical Andrology University Hospital Münster Germany
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49
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Casto KV, Edwards DA, Akinola M, Davis C, Mehta PH. Testosterone reactivity to competition and competitive endurance in men and women. Horm Behav 2020; 123:104665. [PMID: 31904360 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Transient shifts in testosterone occur during competition and are thought to positively influence dominance behavior aimed at enhancing social status. However, individual differences in testosterone reactivity to status contests have not been well-studied in relation to real-time expressions of competitive behavior among men and women. This research tests the association between changes in endogenous testosterone levels during competition and performance in terms of competitive endurance. Participant sex, social presence, and relative status outcomes (e.g., winning vs. losing) are tested as moderators of this relationship. In two studies, men and women (total N = 398) competed in the competitive will task (timed weight-holding) either individually or in the presence of an opponent (Study 1) or as a team with and without the presence of a competitor team (Study 2). Results showed a positive relationship between testosterone reactivity and performance for men, particularly those who won or ranked highest among their group - with increasing testosterone predicting better performance and decreasing testosterone predicting worse performance. For women, the effect only emerged among individuals who competed in dyads and lost. In Study 2, an exploratory mediation analysis revealed that individual differences in trait dominance predicted both testosterone reactivity to competition and task performance, with testosterone reactivity (moderated by sex and status outcome) partially explaining the direct relationship between dominance-related traits and behavior. Our goal was to examine testosterone reactivity in relation to real-time competitive effort and highlight the potential role of this relationship in explaining how individual differences in trait dominance produce competitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- K V Casto
- Social Sciences Division, New College of Florida, United States of America; Department of Psychology, Emory University, United States of America; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, United States of America; US Army CCDC Soldier Center, United States of America.
| | - D A Edwards
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, United States of America
| | - M Akinola
- Columbia Business School, Columbia University, United States of America
| | - C Davis
- US Army CCDC Soldier Center, United States of America
| | - P H Mehta
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, United States of America; Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
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Knight EL, Sarkar A, Prasad S, Mehta PH. Beyond the challenge hypothesis: The emergence of the dual-hormone hypothesis and recommendations for future research. Horm Behav 2020; 123:104657. [PMID: 31863735 PMCID: PMC7311256 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The challenge hypothesis makes specific predictions about the association between testosterone and status-seeking behaviors, but the findings linking testosterone to these behaviors are often inconsistent. The dual-hormone hypothesis was developed to help explain these inconsistencies. Specifically, according to this hypothesis, testosterone's association with status-seeking behavior depends on levels of cortisol. Here, we (1) describe the dual-hormone hypothesis in relation to the challenge hypothesis; (2) review recent studies that tested the dual-hormone hypothesis as well as meta-scientific evidence of heterogeneous dual-hormone findings across studies; (3) discuss potential explanations for this heterogeneity, including methodological considerations, contextual factors, and individual differences; and (4) provide recommendations for new work aimed at testing and extending the dual-hormone hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik L Knight
- Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University, United States of America; Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, United States of America.
| | - Amar Sarkar
- Trinity College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Smrithi Prasad
- Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, United States of America
| | - Pranjal H Mehta
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
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