ArticleBiology of sex differences2021
Testosterone and depressive symptoms during the late menopause transition.
Article in Biology of sex differences, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed.
- Nutritional Interventions for Perimenopausal Anxiety and Depression Targeting Tryptophan and GABA Pathways: A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2026Review
- Understanding Depression in Women Across the Lifespan: Hormonal Insights From Brain Imaging.Brain and behavior · 2026Review
- Latent profile analysis and influencing factors of sleep quality in community perimenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.BMC women's health · 2025Article
- Using estrogen and progesterone to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postnatal depression and menopausal depression.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Menstrual cycle related depressive symptoms and their diurnal fluctuations - an ambulatory assessment study.BMC women's health · 2024Observational
- Considering the role of estradiol in the psychoneuroimmunology of perimenopausal depression.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2024Article
- Life stress influences the relationship between sex hormone fluctuation and affective symptoms in peripubertal female adolescents.Development and psychopathology · 2024Article
- Association between sleep duration and depression in menopausal women: a population-based study.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
- Greater Ecologically Assessed Positive Experiences Predict Heightened Sex Hormone Concentrations Across Two Weeks in Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2023Article
- The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in depression across the female reproductive lifecycle: current knowledge and future directions.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2023Review
- Antidepressant-like effects of theFrontiers in pharmacology · 2023Article
- The correlation of the fecal microbiome with the biochemical profile during menopause: a Brazilian cohort study.BMC women's health · 2022Article
- Hormone Targets for the Treatment of Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women with Schizophrenia: A Narrative Review.Clocks & sleep · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe menopause transition is associated with an increased risk of depression. While the mechanisms behind this increased risk are not well understood, the changing perimenopausal hormonal environment has been hypothesized to play a role. The current study examined the potential influence of testosterone and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol as a potential contributor to depressed mood in the menopause transition.
methodsFifty non-depressed perimenopausal women ages 45-55 were recruited for this study. Once every 3 weeks, for a total of four times, the women completed the Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale for the measurement of depressive symptoms and provided a first-morning urine sample for the measurement of urinary testosterone as well as estrone-3-glucuronide (E1G), a urinary metabolite of estradiol. The week-to-week and mean effects of testosterone, E1G, and the testosterone/E1G ratio on CES-D score were examined. Self-reported sleep quality and vasomotor symptoms were also assessed at each of the four time points.
resultsTestosterone levels rose with increasing months since last menstrual period associated with testosterone levels (β(SE) = 175.3(63.2), p = .006), though this effect was moderated by body mass index (p for the interaction = .001) such that overweight women showed a less pronounced increase over time. Past and current smokers also had higher testosterone levels compared to never smokers. Week-to-week testosterone/E1G ratio was positively associated with CES-D score (β(SE) = 1.57(0.76), p = .041) but not sleep quality or vasomotor symptoms (ps > .05). Mean testosterone/E1G ratio was also positively associated with vasomotor symptom bother (β(SE) = 0.14(0.06), p = .018) and poorer sleep quality (β(SE) = - 0.34(0.09), p = .0001).
conclusionThese results suggest that, within the context of the menopause transition, times that are characterized by a higher testosterone-to-estradiol ratio may be associated with higher depressive symptoms. Perimenopausal women with a higher average ratio of testosterone relative to estradiol may also experience more sleep difficulties and vasomotor symptom bother.
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