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Neuroendocrine markers of high risk for psychosis: salivary testosterone in adolescent boys with prodromal symptoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 January 2011

S. van Rijn ,
A. Aleman ,
L. de Sonneville ,
M. Sprong ,
T. Ziermans ,
P. Schothorst ,
H. van Engeland  and
H. Swaab
S. van Rijn*
Affiliation:
Leiden University, Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
A. Aleman
Affiliation:
University of Groningen, BCN NeuroImaging Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
L. de Sonneville
Affiliation:
Leiden University, Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
M. Sprong
Affiliation:
University Medical Center Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Utrecht, The Netherlands
T. Ziermans
Affiliation:
University Medical Center Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Utrecht, The Netherlands
P. Schothorst
Affiliation:
University Medical Center Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Utrecht, The Netherlands
H. van Engeland
Affiliation:
University Medical Center Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Utrecht, The Netherlands
H. Swaab
Affiliation:
Leiden University, Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
*
*Address for correspondence: S. van Rijn, Ph.D., Leiden University, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

The peak in age of onset of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia during puberty and early adulthood suggests a relationship between the expression of psychopathology and the changes in the brain and body that take place during this dynamic maturational period, including a dramatic increase in circulating oestrogens and androgens. This study examined levels of salivary testosterone and oestradiol in adolescents with prepsychotic, prodromal symptoms, as this may mediate risk for psychosis by having an impact on brain development.

Method

In 21 male adolescents with prodromal symptoms and 21 male non-clinical controls levels of testosterone and oestradiol were measured in saliva. Tanner pubertal stage and prodromal symptoms were also assessed.

Results

Levels of testosterone were significantly lower in adolescents with prodromal symptoms as compared with non-clinical controls. No group differences in oestradiol were found. In the total sample, level of testosterone was significantly correlated with age and Tanner pubertal stage.

Conclusions

Our observations are in line with current hypotheses stressing the role of neuroendocrine factors during adolescence in the expression of psychotic symptoms. From a developmental perspective, susceptibility to psychotic disorders increases during adolescence. Our data suggest that testosterone might, in part, mediate this increased vulnerability. Further research is needed to assess the mediating, neural, mechanisms through which testosterone may have an impact on the development of psychotic symptoms. In the search for early risk markers for psychosis, studying neuroendocrine factors might increase our understanding of ‘at-risk’ developmental pathways.

Keywords

Adolescencehigh riskhormonesschizophreniatestosterone
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 9 , September 2011 , pp. 1815 - 1822
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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