The impact of sex hormones and metabolic markers on depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning in PCOS patients

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze associations between cognitive deficits and such factors like hormone levels and metabolic risk factors in PCOS women. Fifty-five PCOS patients aged 17–30 underwent analyses for FSH, LH, 17-beta-estradiol, DHEAS, androstenedione, SHBG, lipid profile during the follicular phase. Fasting glucose and insulin concentrations were also measured, as well as their levels after oral-glucose administration. All participants underwent an assessment with: Trail Making Test A and B, Stroop Test, Verbal and Categorical Fluency Test. The intensity of depressive symptoms was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). We observed a positive correlation of the depression scores with the OGTT 120′ and triglycerides, and a negative correlation of the depression scores with serum HDL. The higher were the insulin levels at 120 min; the more pronounced were the deficits of the verbal psychomotor speed. Higher free testosterone correlated with better verbal psychomotor speed. Androstenedione level was associated with worse scores in executive functions assessment. 17-OH-P levels positively correlated with phonology verbal fluency scores and higher plasma cortisol level at 10 p.m. correlated with worse verbal processing speed. Endocrine and metabolic parameters seem to be important factors mediating cognitive deficits in PCOS.

摘要

该研究的目的是分析PCOS患者认知缺陷与体内激素水平和代谢危险因素之间的关系。在卵泡期, 对55名年龄在17至30岁的PCOS患者进行FSH、LH、17-β-雌二醇、DHEAS、雄烯二酮、SHBG、脂质谱分析。并测量空腹葡萄糖和胰岛素的浓度, 以及口服葡萄糖后的水平。所有参与者均接受以下评估：追踪能力测验A和B, Stroop测验, 语言和范畴流利度测试。抑郁症状的强度通过贝克抑郁量表（BDI）进行测量。我们观察到抑郁评分与OGTT 120分钟和甘油三酯呈正相关, 而抑郁评分与血清HDL呈负相关。OGTT120分钟时的胰岛素水平越高, 言语精神运动速度的缺陷越明显。较高的游离睾酮与较好的语言精神运动速度有关。雄烯二酮水平与执行功能评估中分数较差相关。17-OH-P水平与语音学语言流利度得分正相关, 晚上10点较高的血浆皮质醇水平与较差的语言处理速度相关。内分泌和代谢参数似乎是介导PCOS认知缺陷的重要因素。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• PCOS
• metabolic syndrome
• sex hormones
• cognitive functions
• memory
• executive functions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.