BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Mental stress, which is responsible for various disorders, is one of the most important medical and social problems. It is reported that mental stress causes abnormality in sperm quality. Most of the previous investigations done to study the association between mental stress and infertility were carried out with infertile men. Infertility itself and/or its therapy may lead to stress. Further, most studies investigating the association between psychological stress and semen quality have lacked information on biochemical parameters. In the present study, we investigated the effect of mental stress due to final exams on two important antioxidant enzymes of the seminal plasma, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in normal healthy medical students. METHODS: Semen samples were collected from 27 healthy male volunteers, who were third semester students of a medical school, just before (stress period) and 10.19+/-0.83 wk after (non-stress period) the final examinations. Psychological stress of participants was measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. After standard semen analysis, semen samples were centrifuged at 10,000 x g for 15 min. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were measured in the seminal plasma. RESULTS: During stress period, stress scores and SOD activities increased significantly compared to the non-stress period. Catalase activities showed no change. Spermatozoa concentrations, motility index and percentage of rapid progressive motility decreased under stress. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that mental stress negatively affected semen quality. Increase in SOD activities led to poor quality of semen parameters.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Mental stress, which is responsible for various disorders, is one of the most important medical and social problems. It is reported that mental stress causes abnormality in sperm quality. Most of the previous investigations done to study the association between mental stress and infertility were carried out with infertile men. Infertility itself and/or its therapy may lead to stress. Further, most studies investigating the association between psychological stress and semen quality have lacked information on biochemical parameters. In the present study, we investigated the effect of mental stress due to final exams on two important antioxidant enzymes of the seminal plasma, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in normal healthy medical students. METHODS: Semen samples were collected from 27 healthy male volunteers, who were third semester students of a medical school, just before (stress period) and 10.19+/-0.83 wk after (non-stress period) the final examinations. Psychological stress of participants was measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. After standard semen analysis, semen samples were centrifuged at 10,000 x g for 15 min. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were measured in the seminal plasma. RESULTS: During stress period, stress scores and SOD activities increased significantly compared to the non-stress period. Catalase activities showed no change. Spermatozoa concentrations, motility index and percentage of rapid progressive motility decreased under stress. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that mental stress negatively affected semen quality. Increase in SOD activities led to poor quality of semen parameters.
Authors: James F Smith; Thomas J Walsh; Alan W Shindel; Paul J Turek; Holly Wing; Lauri Pasch; Patricia P Katz Journal: J Sex Med Date: 2009-07-10 Impact factor: 3.802
Authors: Stefania Schiavone; Giulia M Camerino; Emanuela Mhillaj; Margherita Zotti; Marilena Colaianna; Angelo De Giorgi; Antonello Trotta; Francesco P Cantatore; Elena Conte; Maria Bove; Paolo Tucci; Maria G Morgese; Luigia Trabace Journal: Front Pharmacol Date: 2017-11-08 Impact factor: 5.810
Authors: Piotr Kocełak; Jerzy Chudek; Beata Naworska; Monika Bąk-Sosnowska; Barbara Kotlarz; Monika Mazurek; Paweł Madej; Violetta Skrzypulec-Plinta; Piotr Skałba; Magdalena Olszanecka-Glinianowicz Journal: Int J Endocrinol Date: 2012-07-16 Impact factor: 3.257
Authors: Johannes Wogatzky; Barbara Wirleitner; Astrid Stecher; Pierre Vanderzwalmen; Anton Neyer; Dietmar Spitzer; Maximilian Schuff; Birgit Schechinger; Nicolas H Zech Journal: Reprod Biol Endocrinol Date: 2012-12-24 Impact factor: 5.211