Are andropause symptoms related to depression?

Association Between Male Menopause Severity and Presenteeism: A Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the association between symptoms of male menopause and presenteeism among middle-aged men in Japan.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 3795 men aged 40-59 years who were in current employment in Japan. Male menopause symptoms were assessed using the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scale. Presenteeism was measured with the Work Functioning Impairment Scale. Poisson regression analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

The prevalence of presenteeism increased with increasing total AMS scale score ( P for trend <0.001). Severe AMS scale group showed prevalence ratio of 11.81 (95% confidence interval: 9.45-14.74) compared to no symptoms group. Each subscale demonstrated a dose-response relationship when evaluated independently.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a strong association between male menopause symptoms and presenteeism. Addressing these symptoms, particularly the psychological and physical symptoms, in the workplace could reduce presenteeism.

The severity of andropause symptoms and its relationship with social well-being among retired male nurses: a preliminary cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Andropause is a syndrome that occurs due to decreased androgen levels in men. Various aspects of health, such as social well-being, can affect andropause status during men's retirement. This study aimed to determine the severity of andropause symptoms and its relationship with social well-being among retired male nurses.

METHODS

This preliminary cross-sectional study was conducted on 284 retired male nurses in Ardabil (northwest of Iran). The participants were selected through the census sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the Male Andropause Symptoms Self-Assessment Questionnaire (MASSQ), and the Social Well-Being Scale (SWBS). Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0).

RESULTS

The study found that the overall mean scores of the severity of andropause symptoms and social well-being among retired male nurses were 57.24 ± 12.62 (range = 35-91) and 94.54 ± 12.77 (range = 75-123), respectively. The highest and lowest mean scores between dimensions of social well-being were related to social contribution (20.26 ± 2.47) and social acceptance (15.26 ± 2.77), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that subscales of social well-being, age, marital status, and spouse's menopause were predictors of the severity of andropause symptoms among retired male nurses. The selected predictors accounted for 53.1% of the total variance in severity of andropause symptoms (F = 36.613, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results showed a moderate to severe prevalence of andropause among retired male nurses and a significant association between andropause and social well-being. The study suggests further research to examine sexual orientation and other factors that may affect andropause in retired male nurses.

Androgen deficit changes the response to antidepressant drugs in tail suspension test in mice

Depressive symptoms are throughout our life, especially in the older population, the sex hormones reduction link to a high risk of depression. In this study, we investigated whether bilateral orchiectomy (ORX) modifies mice behaviors and antidepressant drugs effects through tail suspension test (TST). We evaluated behavioral changes at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and up to 2 months after ORX. The behavior responses to doxepin, fluoxetine, and venlafaxine at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months after ORX were evaluated. No apparent difference was detected among the durations of immobility of the control group, sham operation group, and ORX group in the TST at 1 week and 2 weeks after ORX. But the immobility time of ORX group was obvious longer than that of both control group and sham operation group at 1 month and 2 months after ORX. Only the antidepressant effect of venlafaxine was observed at 1 week and 2 weeks after ORX, while the antidepressant response to fluoxetine decreased 1 month and 2 months after ORX. The response to antidepressant drugs was strongly modified in ORX mice. Our results suggest that not all antidepressant drugs are suitable for depression with androgen deficiency.HighlightsMice with low androgen were more prone to depression-like behaviors.The response to antidepressants changed under the condition of low androgen in mice.Not all antidepressant drugs are appropriate for patients with low androgen.

Prevalence of andropause among Iranian men and its relationship with quality of life

INTRODUCTION

Andropause is a complicated process in men's life which can negatively affect their quality of life in both physical and psychological dimensions.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of andropause among Iranian men age 40-85 years and its relationship with quality of life.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study among 393 men attending ten urban healthcare centers in Ilam province in southwestern Iran. Study participants were recruited using proportional random sampling. The Male andropause symptoms self-assessment questionnaire (MASSQ) and SF-12 were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 (Chicago, IL).

RESULTS

The mean (SD) of participants scores in MASSQ was 57.46 (17.56). Only 61 (15.5%) men were classified at "don't need testosterone" category based on MASSQ. There were significant associations between the eight aspects of HRQoL and the andropause severity (p < .001). Older age, lower education, having depression, coronary heart disease, and incontinence were associated with increased odds of andropause (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed findings of previous studies regarding andropause and its relationship with men's quality of life. Future studies in this topic are needed to discover all the factors that may influence men andropause.

The severity of hypogonadism symptoms and its risk factors among male employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

OBJECTIVES

The current study was conducted to examine the severity of hypogonadism symptoms and their risk factors among the male employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 male employees aged 40-60 years, with hypogonadism, at TUMS. The participants were selected through census sampling. The data collection tools included the demographic questionnaire and the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) questionnaire. The participants first completed the demographic questionnaire and then the AMS questionnaire. SPSS statistical software version 22 (Chicago, IL) was used to analyze the data, and one-way ANOVA tests, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multivariate logistic regression were applied.

RESULTS

Based on our findings, the mean overall score of hypogonadism symptoms was 41.71 ± 9.20. Based on Pearson's correlation coefficient results, there was a statistically significant association between the severity of hypogonadism symptoms and age (p < .001). Furthermore, there were significant associations between the economic status, cigarette consumption and hours of sleep and the severity of hypogonadism symptoms (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study's results showed that certain factors can affect hypogonadism in males. Thus, it is important to reduce the severity of hypogonadism symptoms and to modify the factors related to this phenomenon.

Sex Differences in Vulnerability and Resilience to Stress Across the Life Span

Susceptibility and resilience to stress depend on 1) the timing of the exposure with respect to development, 2) the time across the life span at which effects are measured, and 3) the behavioral or biological phenotype under consideration. This translational review examines preclinical stress models that provide clues to causal mechanisms and their relationship to the more complex phenomenon of stress-related psychiatric and cognitive disorders in humans. We examine how genetic sex and epigenetic regulation of hormones contribute to the proximal and distal effects of stress at different epochs of life. Stress during the prenatal period and early postnatal life puts male offspring at risk of developing diseases involving socialization, such as autism spectrum disorder, and attention and cognition, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. While female offspring show resilience to some of the proximal effects of prenatal and early postnatal stress, there is evidence that risk associated with developmental insults is unmasked in female offspring following periods of hormonal activation and flux, including puberty, pregnancy, and perimenopause. Likewise, stress exposures during puberty have stronger proximal effects on girls, including an increased risk of developing mood-related and stress-related illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Hormonal changes during menopause and andropause impact the processes of memory and emotion in women and men, though women are preferentially at risk for dementia, and childhood adversity further impacts estradiol effects on neural function. We propose that studies to determine mechanisms for stress risk and resilience across the life span must consider the nature and timing of stress exposures as well as the sex of the organism under investigation.

Inflaming sex differences in mood disorders

Men and women often experience different symptoms or rates of occurrence for a variety of mood disorders. Many of the symptoms of mood disorders overlap with autoimmune disorders, which also have a higher prevalence in women. There is a growing interest in exploring the immune system to provide biomarkers for diagnosis of mood disorders, along with new targets for developing treatments. This review examines known sex differences in the immune system and their relationship to mood disorders. We focus on immune alterations associated with unipolar depression, bipolar depression, and anxiety disorders. We describe work from both basic and clinical research examining potential immune mechanisms thought to contribute to stress susceptibility and associated mood disorders. We propose that sex and age are important, intertwined factors that need to be included in future experimental designs if we are going to harness the power of the immune system to develop a new wave of treatments for mood disorders.

Examining the effect of the computer-based educational package on quality of life and severity of hypogonadism symptoms in males

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the computer-based educational package on men's QoL and the severity of their hypogonadism symptoms.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 male employees. The data collection tool included the 'Aging Male Symptoms' (AMS) and 'Short Form-36' (SF36) questionnaires. Four sessions were held for the intervention group over a period of 4 weeks. Two months after training, QoL and the severity of hypogonadism symptoms were measured in both the intervention and control groups. The data were analyzed with SPSS 22 software and statistical tests, such as χ², independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, and paired t-tests.

RESULTS

Significant statistical changes were observed in the intervention group before and 2 months after the training in the QoL score in the overall dimensions of physical-psychological health and all its domains except for three domains of emotional role, social function, and pain. Furthermore, the paired t-tests showed significant differences between 2 months before and after the training in all the domains and the overall hypogonadism score in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on our findings, the computer-based educational package has a positive effect on QoL and reduction of hypogonadism symptoms.

The association between hypogonadism symptoms with serum testosterone, FSH and LH in men

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the relationship of hypogonadism symptoms with the levels of sex hormones in men.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 men aged above 40 years. Data collections were conducted by Aging Male Scales (AMS) questionnaire and some sociodemographic variables. Then, 3 ml blood serum was sampled for testosterone (free and total), FSH and LH. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics.

RESULTS

Mean age score was 52.09 ± 7.096. There was no significant association between total score of the symptoms of hypogonadism and serum total and free testosterone level while it was shown significant association with BMI (p = .021) and occupation (p = .005).

CONCLUSION

The most men experienced the symptoms of hypogonadism and the majority of the symptoms were related to psychological domain. The symptoms of hypogonadism are considered to some factors like BMI and occupation too.

Awareness and experience of andropause symptoms in men referring to health centers: a cross-sectional study in Iran

INTRODUCTION

Andropause is a gradual process and more similar to menopause in women. Knowledge and experience of symptoms of andropause is an important discussion is in their lives.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine Awareness and Experience of Andropause Symptoms in Men referring to Health Centers in Rasht, Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional and analytical study included 140 men over 40 years referring to one of health centers. Collection tool of this study was a questionnaire consisting of three parts. The first part was about demographic characteristics, The second part was a researcher-made questionnaire, The third part was Aging Male Scales (AMS) questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics.

RESULTS

This study showed 73.6% had experience symptoms of andropause. The mean knowledge score (of 20 score) for the 3/3 ± 4/9, with the level of education, occupation and income was statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was significant relationship the andropause symptoms with BMI and occupation (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of this study, despite the fact that the majority of men over age 40 had experienced symptoms of andropause, but their awareness about andropause was very low.