BACKGROUND: The peak in age of onset of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia during puberty and early adulthood suggests a relationship between the expression of psychopathology and the changes in the brain and body that take place during this dynamic maturational period, including a dramatic increase in circulating oestrogens and androgens. This study examined levels of salivary testosterone and oestradiol in adolescents with prepsychotic, prodromal symptoms, as this may mediate risk for psychosis by having an impact on brain development. METHOD: In 21 male adolescents with prodromal symptoms and 21 male non-clinical controls levels of testosterone and oestradiol were measured in saliva. Tanner pubertal stage and prodromal symptoms were also assessed. RESULTS: Levels of testosterone were significantly lower in adolescents with prodromal symptoms as compared with non-clinical controls. No group differences in oestradiol were found. In the total sample, level of testosterone was significantly correlated with age and Tanner pubertal stage. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations are in line with current hypotheses stressing the role of neuroendocrine factors during adolescence in the expression of psychotic symptoms. From a developmental perspective, susceptibility to psychotic disorders increases during adolescence. Our data suggest that testosterone might, in part, mediate this increased vulnerability. Further research is needed to assess the mediating, neural, mechanisms through which testosterone may have an impact on the development of psychotic symptoms. In the search for early risk markers for psychosis, studying neuroendocrine factors might increase our understanding of 'at-risk' developmental pathways.
BACKGROUND: The peak in age of onset of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia during puberty and early adulthood suggests a relationship between the expression of psychopathology and the changes in the brain and body that take place during this dynamic maturational period, including a dramatic increase in circulating oestrogens and androgens. This study examined levels of salivary testosterone and oestradiol in adolescents with prepsychotic, prodromal symptoms, as this may mediate risk for psychosis by having an impact on brain development. METHOD: In 21 male adolescents with prodromal symptoms and 21 male non-clinical controls levels of testosterone and oestradiol were measured in saliva. Tanner pubertal stage and prodromal symptoms were also assessed. RESULTS: Levels of testosterone were significantly lower in adolescents with prodromal symptoms as compared with non-clinical controls. No group differences in oestradiol were found. In the total sample, level of testosterone was significantly correlated with age and Tanner pubertal stage. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations are in line with current hypotheses stressing the role of neuroendocrine factors during adolescence in the expression of psychotic symptoms. From a developmental perspective, susceptibility to psychotic disorders increases during adolescence. Our data suggest that testosterone might, in part, mediate this increased vulnerability. Further research is needed to assess the mediating, neural, mechanisms through which testosterone may have an impact on the development of psychotic symptoms. In the search for early risk markers for psychosis, studying neuroendocrine factors might increase our understanding of 'at-risk' developmental pathways.
Authors: Hanan D Trotman; Carrie W Holtzman; Arthur T Ryan; Daniel I Shapiro; Allison N MacDonald; Sandra M Goulding; Joy L Brasfield; Elaine F Walker Journal: Horm Behav Date: 2013-07 Impact factor: 3.587
Authors: Jordina Tor; Montserrat Dolz; Anna Sintes; Daniel Muñoz; Marta Pardo; Elena de la Serna; Olga Puig; Gisela Sugranyes; Inmaculada Baeza Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2017-09-15 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Samantha J Owens; Thomas W Weickert; Tertia D Purves-Tyson; Ellen Ji; Christopher White; Cherrie Galletly; Dennis Liu; Maryanne O'Donnell; Cynthia Shannon Weickert Journal: Mol Neuropsychiatry Date: 2018-11-20
Authors: Ans Vercammen; Ashley J Skilleter; Rhoshel Lenroot; Stanley V Catts; Cynthia Shannon Weickert; Thomas W Weickert Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-10-31 Impact factor: 3.240