Emotions and Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Updated June 09, 2015.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Experts know that the level of testosterone in the body has effects on both the behavior and neurologic function of both men and women. Over time with aging, the level of testosterone in the blood decreases as does overall cognitive (thinking) function.
For this reason, many think that hormone therapy (androgen deprivation therapy), which reduces testosterone levels, can potentially cause a decline in cognitive abilities or changes in emotions.
But this is not definitive: Studies have been conflicting about whether hormone therapy results in cognitive changes.
Some studies have shown that men with prostate cancer who are on hormone therapy have significantly higher rates of episodes of depression and had worsened cognitive abilities than healthy men (men without prostate cancer and not on hormone therapy). On the other hand, other studies have shown that when men with similar health problems, ages, etc. were compared, the men who were taking hormone therapy were no more likely to have cognitive issues than men who were not on hormone therapy.
Sources:
Green HJ, Pakenham KI, Headley BC, et al. Altered cognitive function in men treated for prostate cancer with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues and cyproterone acetate: a randomized controlled trial. BJU Int. 2002;90(4):427.
Shahinian VB, Kuo YF, Freeman JL, et al. Risk of the "androgen deprivation syndrome" in men receiving androgen deprivation for prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(4):465.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Experts know that the level of testosterone in the body has effects on both the behavior and neurologic function of both men and women. Over time with aging, the level of testosterone in the blood decreases as does overall cognitive (thinking) function.
For this reason, many think that hormone therapy (androgen deprivation therapy), which reduces testosterone levels, can potentially cause a decline in cognitive abilities or changes in emotions.
But this is not definitive: Studies have been conflicting about whether hormone therapy results in cognitive changes.
Some studies have shown that men with prostate cancer who are on hormone therapy have significantly higher rates of episodes of depression and had worsened cognitive abilities than healthy men (men without prostate cancer and not on hormone therapy). On the other hand, other studies have shown that when men with similar health problems, ages, etc. were compared, the men who were taking hormone therapy were no more likely to have cognitive issues than men who were not on hormone therapy.
Sources:
Green HJ, Pakenham KI, Headley BC, et al. Altered cognitive function in men treated for prostate cancer with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues and cyproterone acetate: a randomized controlled trial. BJU Int. 2002;90(4):427.
Shahinian VB, Kuo YF, Freeman JL, et al. Risk of the "androgen deprivation syndrome" in men receiving androgen deprivation for prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(4):465.