Testosterone levels in patients with psychosis versus healthy subjects

Abstract

Background

According to meta-analyses, one in 150 individuals will be diagnosed with psychotic disorder in their lifetime. Hypothesis arose that blood testosterone might be involved in pathophysiology of psychotic disorders. Testosterone could be one of the predicting markers of manifestation of early psychotic and affective symptoms.

Objectives

The present study aims to evaluate the role of testosterone between psychotic males and healthy controls and its associations with psychopathological correlates.

Methods

Blood samples were drawn from 61 acute psychotic patients consecutively admitted to the mental hospital without known comorbid endocrine disorders. Patients were included into the study if the criteria of ICD-10 F20- F23, F25 were met and compared to 69 control group samples. Severity of the psychotic episode was evaluated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and venous blood samples were drawn for analysis of blood testosterone concentration (BTC) on the day of admission and on the day of discharge from the hospital.

Results

Psychotic patients compared to control group were same age group (34 ± 13 years vs. 31 ± 12 years, p = 0.180). Psychotic patients in comparison to control subjects had higher BTC (9.2 ± 8.6 vs. 5.3 ± 1.9; p < 0.001). The significant association has been found between anxiety (r = 0.290, p = 0.023), guilt feelings (r = 0.500, p < 0.001), depressive mood (r = 0.043, p < 0.001), hallucinatory behavior (r = −0.268, p = 0.037), uncooperativeness (r = −0.311, p = 0.015), unusual thought content (r = −0.313, p = 0.014), excitement (r = 0.391, p = 0.002) in BPRS score and BTC (r = −0.315, p = 0.013).

Conclusions

Psychotic patients had higher BTC compared to control subjects. BTC is linked to psychiatric symptoms manifestation.