Trandsdermal testosterone improved memory in postmenopausal women

Issue: July 2013

SAN FRANCISCO — When used in postmenopausal women, testosterone therapy improved verbal learning and memory, according to data presented here at ENDO 2013.

Perspective from Shehzad S. Basaria, MD

“Testosterone is an important hormone for women because it is a building block from which estradiol is made, but it also acts independently throughout the body,” Susan R. Davis, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said during a press conference. “There is evidence that testosterone may have a role in brain function in women and in men. We have shown in two pilot studies that the treatment of postmenopausal women with testosterone was associated with improved verbal learning and memory.”

Susan R. Davis

In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled single center study, Davis and colleagues randomly assigned 92 women (mean age 61 years) to a daily dose of transdermal testosterone gel at 0.22 g per day (LibiGel, BioSante Pharmaceuticals) or placebo for 26 weeks. Their cognitive performance was measured at baseline, 12 and 26 weeks. In addition, the researchers used the Psychological General Wellbeing Index (PGWB) to measure psychological well-being.

According to 26-week data, patients assigned testosterone displayed significant improvements to performance, specifically in verbal learning and memory compared with the placebo group (P=.037 vs. placebo), Davis said.

Other data suggest serum total testosterone increased in the testosterone group (mean 1.9 nmol/L) and did not change at week 26 in the placebo group (0.4 nmol/L).

These findings demonstrate further studies are warranted to investigate the use of testosterone therapy to prevent cognitive decline in postmenopausal women, Davis said. – by Samantha Costa

For more information:

Davis SR. #FP26-5. Presented at: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting and Expo; June 15-18, 2013; San Francisco.

Susan R. Davis, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, can be reached at Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne 3004
Vic, Australia; email: susan.davis@monash.edu.

Disclosure: BioSante provided the study drug and partial funding of this study. CogState Australia provided computation of the cognitive testing. Davis reports funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. All other researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

Perspective

Shehzad S. Basaria, MD

Dr. Davis summarized very eloquently that it has been a long ongoing endeavor to figure out whether testosterone has beneficial effects on various outcomes. I think it was a positive step in the right direction to figure out how testosterone may modulate memory and cognition in these women.

Shehzad S. Basaria, MD

Medical director of the section of men's health, aging and metabolism

Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School

Disclosures: Basaria reports funding from AbbVie Pharmaceuticals.