Pharmacokinetics of testosterone and estradiol gel preparations in healthy young men

Eisenegger, Christoph; Eckardstein, Arnold von; Fehr, Ernst; Eckardstein, Sigrid von

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.05.018

Cited by 85 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The time frame between gel application and behavioral experiment was chosen so that tasks took place when the T group participants experienced elevated and stable blood T levels following drug administration (Eisenegger, von Eckardstein, Fehr, & von Eckardstein, 2013).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-Dose Testosterone Administration Impairs Cognitive Reflection in Men

et al. 2017

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The sex steroid testosterone regulates reproductive behaviors such as intra-male fighting and mating in non-humans. Correlational studies have linked testosterone with aggression and disorders associated with poor impulse control, but the neuropsychological processes at work are poorly understood. Building on a dual-process framework, we propose a mechanism underlying testosterone's behavioral effects in humans: reducing cognitive reflection. In the largest behavioral testosterone administration study to date, 243 men received either testosterone or placebo and took the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), that estimated their capacity to override incorrect intuitive judgments with deliberate correct responses. Testosterone administration reduced CRT scores. The effect was robust to controlling for age, mood, math skills, treatment expectancy and 14 other hormones, and held for each of the CRT questions in isolation. Our findings suggest a mechanism underlying testosterone's diverse effects on humans' judgments and decision-making, and provide novel, clear and testable predictions. Keywords testosterone, single administration, cognitive reflection, dual process, impulse control, NeuroeconomicsThe androgenic hormone testosterone (abbreviated "T") is produced in the adrenal glands, the male testes, and in smaller quantities in the female ovaries. T affects physiology, brain development, and behavior throughout life. T is released into the bloodstream and in the brain in response to external stimuli, such as the presence of an attractive mate or winning competitions, modulating physiological and cognitive processes context-sensitively (Archer, 2006;Eisenegger, Haushofer, & Fehr, 2011;Mazur, 2005;Ronay & von Hippel, 2010).i In many non-human species, T levels rise amid the breeding season to facilitate reproductive behaviors such as fighting and mating (Archer, 2006;Edwards, 1969;Mazur, 2005;Wingfield, Hegner, Dufty Jr, & Ball, 1990). Laboratory studies have shown that T administration induces aggression, mating, and behavioral disinhibition in rodents and birds (Archer, 2006;Bing et al., 1998;Edwards, 1969;Svensson, Åkesson, Engel, & Söderpalm, 2003;Wingfield et al., 1990).A largely open question is how T affects human cognition and decision-making. Studies reported correlations between endogenous T and physical aggression, sensation seeking, and impulse control disorders such as drug abuse, bulimia, and borderline personality disorder (Campbell et

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-Dose Testosterone Administration Impairs Cognitive Reflection in Men

et al. 2017

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“…See = 5.7 min). We chose this time-course for the assessment of face preferences as previous pharmacokinetic work indicates that T concentrations begin to rise 2 hours after gel application and peak concentrations occur 3 hours after application (Eisenegger et al, 2013). Moreover, recent evidence suggests that a single administration of T can rapidly (within 45 to 90 min) modulate brain function (see Goetz et al, 2014;van Wingen et al, 2008).…”

Section: Experiments 1 Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We based our timing of behavioral assessment on previous research indicating that a single 150 mg dose of Androgel® led to increased T concentrations in healthy young men for up to 7 hours after drug administration (Eisenegger et al, 2013). Nevertheless, results from Experiment 1 indicate that T concentrations peaked more rapidly compared to previous work (60 mins vs. 180 mins; Eisenegger et al, 2013). In Experiment 2, we collected additional blood samples throughout the protocol, including a final blood draw immediately prior to the facial rating task to verify that blood serum levels remained significantly elevated directly before testing.…”

Section: Rationale For Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of exogenous testosterone and mating context on men's preferences for female facial femininity

Bird

Welling

Ortiz

et al. 2016

Hormones and Behavior

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Correlational research suggests that men show greater attraction to feminine female faces when their testosterone (T) levels are high. Men's preferences for feminine faces also seem to vary as a function of relationship context (short versus long-term).However, the relationship between T and preferences for female facial femininity has yet to be tested experimentally. This thesis examined the causal role of T in modulating preferences for facial femininity across both short and long-term mating contexts, using two separate experiments. Results of Experiment 1 (within-subject design, n = 24)showed that participants significantly preferred feminized versus masculinized versions of women's faces. Further, participants showed a stronger preference for feminine female faces in the short-versus the long-term context after they received T, but not after they received placebo. Post-hoc analyses suggest that this effect was driven by a lower preference for feminine faces in the long-term context when on T relative to placebo.Results from Experiment 2 (between-subject design, n = 93) were highly consistent with those of Experiment 1: men demonstrated a significant preference for feminized female faces in the short-versus the long-term context after T, but not after placebo administration, and this effect was driven by lower preferences for feminine faces in the long-term context when on T relative to placebo. Collectively, these findings provide the first causal evidence that T modulates men's preferences for facial femininity as a function of mating context.

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“…We therefore employed an administration procedure which would result in a sustained T increase over a 48 hour period prior to testing in order to increase the likelihood that behavioral effects would be manifested within the time window of our experimental session. Recent studies have demonstrated that a transdermal administration significantly elevates testosterone following a single dose, although the timescale for measurable changes in behavior is not well described (Eisenegger et al, 2013;Thieme et al, 2013).…”

Section: Experimental Procedures and Drug Administrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testosterone administration does not affect men's rejections of low ultimatum game offers or aggressive mood

Cueva

Roberts

Spencer

et al. 2017

Hormones and Behavior

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Correlative evidence suggests that testosterone promotes dominance and aggression. However, causal evidence is scarce and offers mixed results. To investigate this relationship, we administered testosterone for 48h to 41 healthy young adult men in a within-subjects, double-blind placebo-controlled balanced crossover design. Subjects played the role of responders in an ultimatum game, where rejecting a low offer is costly, but serves to destroy the proposer's profit. Such action can hence be interpreted as non-physical aggression in response to social provocation. In addition, subjects completed a self-assessed mood questionnaire. As expected, self-reported aggressiveness was a key predictor of ultimatum game rejections. However, while testosterone affected subjective ratings of feeling energetic and interested, our evidence strongly suggests that testosterone had no effect on ultimatum game rejections or on aggressive mood. Our findings illustrate the importance of using causal interventions to assess correlative evidence.

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Pharmacokinetics of testosterone and estradiol gel preparations in healthy young men

Cited by 85 publications

References 36 publications

Single-Dose Testosterone Administration Impairs Cognitive Reflection in Men

Single-Dose Testosterone Administration Impairs Cognitive Reflection in Men

Effects of exogenous testosterone and mating context on men's preferences for female facial femininity

Testosterone administration does not affect men's rejections of low ultimatum game offers or aggressive mood

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