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SERUM TESTOSTERONE IN MEN WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

Eva Hogervorst, A.D. Smith

Oxford Project To Investigate Memory and Ageing, (OPTIMA)

Dept. Pharmacology, Univ. of Oxford,

Radcliffe Infirmary Trust, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX26HE, U.K.

Introduction. Sex steroids, such as testosterone and estradiol, have been found to potentially protect the brain against Aizheimer's disease (AD). We found lower levels of testosterone in men with AD. The apolipoprotein E e4 allele (APOEe4) is a well-established risk factor for AD. We assessed the association between testosterone levels and the APOEe4 in cases with AD and controls.

Method. We included 61 men with definite or probable Aizheimer's disease (AD) and 55 elderly male controls from the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Ageing (OPTIMA). Testosterone was measured using a competitive enzyme immunoassay (Bayer®).

Results. We found that both low serum testosterone and the interaction between testosterone and APOEe4 were associated with AD. Furthermore, testosterone levels were lower in APOEe4-positive controls (mean: 11.3 nmol/L) than in controls without the allele (19.1 nmol/L).

Conclusions. Low testosterone is potentially a modifiable risk factor, which may prove relevant to APOEe4 carriers who are at risk of AD.

Dr. Eva Hogervorst, PhD
Oxford Project To Investigate Memory and Ageing, (OPTIMA)

Dept. Pharmacology, Univ. of Oxford,

Radcliffe Infirmary Trust, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX26HE, U.K.

Email: eva.hogervorst@linacre.oxford.ac.uk

Curriculum Vitae

Dr Hogervorst carried out her doctorate on aging and cognition enhancers and won the Curt Richter award in 1999 for her work on hormones and aging. She was awarded the Blaschko fellowship the same year to work in Oxford for OPTIMA (Oxford Project To Investigate Memory and Ageing on hormones and Alzheimer's disease).  In 2000 she received a further research grant from the American Alzheimer's Association.
She will soon be starting a part time position at the UAMS as Associate Professor in the Department of Geriatrics and will help set up an ageing study in one of the poorest areas of the U.S. with Professor Victor Henderson.

Recent Publications

1.             Hogervorst E,.Smith D. The interaction of serum folate and estradiol levels in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroendocrinol.Lett. 2002;23:155-60.

2.             Hogervorst E, Williams J, Budge M, Barnetson L, Combrinck M, Smith AD. Serum total testosterone is lower in men with Alzheimer's disease. Neuroendocrinol.Lett. 2001;22:163-8.