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Male menopause, myth or menace?
Abstract Estrogen women
we
and verbal
memory
in healthy
section /Maturitas
postmewpausaf
Kampen D.L.; Sherwin B.B. Department of Psychology, McGill Avenue, Montreal, Que. H3A lB1
University,
1205 Dr. Penfeld
OBSTET. GYNECOL.
1994 83/6 (979-983) Objective: To assesswhether differences in verbal memory might be related to estrogen use in a group of healthy, wellfunctioning, postmenopausal community-residing women from a broad socioeconomic range. Methods: Healthy postmenopausal women drawn from the general population were given tests of verbal and spatial memory, language, attention, and general spatial skills. The performance of women taking estrogen was compared to that of women from the same population who were not taking any form of estrogen replacement therapy. Results: There were no differences between the estrogen users and non-users on any sociodemographic variables. However, the scores of women taking estrogen were significantly higher on tests of immediate and delayed paragraph recall compared to the scores of non-users. No differences were apparent on other tests of cognitive functioning, including tests of spatial memory. Conclusion: Estrogen appears to have a specific effect on verbal memory skills in healthy postmenopausal women. The clinical relevance of these findings for healthy older women remains to be determined. Postural stability, faRs and fractures in the elderly: the Dubbo Osteqorasis Epidemiology Study
Results from
Lord S.R.; Sambrook P.N.; Gilbert C.; Kelly P.J.; Nguyen T.; Webster I.W.; Eisman J.A. Bone and Mineral Research Division, cal Research, St Vincent’s Hospital,
Garvan Institute of MediDarlinghurst, NSW 2010
MED. J. AUST. 1994 160/I 1 (684-685+688-691) Objective: To assessmeasures of postural stability in a large population of persons aged over 60 years in order to compare performance between failers and non-failers and relate postural stability to fracture prevalence. Methods: The sensorimotor, visual and balance functions were measured in 1762 ambulatory, community-dwelling patients aged between 60 and 100 years (mean age, 70.1 years) living in a large semi-urban Australian city. A history of recent falls and fractures was recorded at the time of assessment. Results: The prevalence of impairment in all tests increased with age. Men performed significantly better than women in tests of muscle strength, visual field dependence, sway on the floor with eyes open and dynamic balance.
21 (1995)
161
159-161
In the 12 months before testing, 72.3% of the patients experienced no falls, 18.4% fell only once and 9.3% fell on two or more occasions. Multiple failers had weaker quadriceps, poorer tactile sensitivity, greater visual field dependence and greater body sway than other patients. Test scores for once-only failers were mostly between those for non-failers and multiple failers. Those who suffered recent fall-related fractures had significantly reduced tactile sensitivity and quadriceps strength and increased body sway. Postural stability was also impaired in patients taking psychoactive and/or antihypertensive medications. Conclusion: Tests of postural stability can identify, independently of age, individuals living in the community who are at risk of falls and fall-related fractures. Male
menopause,
myth
or menace?
Harman SM.; Blackman M.R. Gerontology MD 21224
Research
Center,
4940 Eastern
Ave..
Baltimore,
ENDOCRINOLOGIST 1994 413 (212-217) No discrete event marks a transition to male reproductive senescence;however, a number of investigations have suggested that male fertility and reproductive hormone secretion decrease with age, giving rise to the term male menopause. Nearly all studies of seminiferous tubular function and morphology have found evidence of an age-related deterioration including anatomical lesions, reduced semen quality, elevated serum levels of inhibin, and diminished fertility. The question of altered androgen secretion remains controversial with evidence both for and against age-related reductions in testosterone (T), free T, and/or DHT in multiple investigations. Much of this controversy probably stems from noncomparable populations, especially with regard to confounding variables such as stress, illness, and medication use. Published findings to date agree that in healthy aging men there is a small but significant increase in basal levels of LH and a diminished T response to exogenous gonadotropin, suggesting an intrinsic loss of Leydig cell reserve. Moreover, there is evidence of a gradual loss of function of the hypothalamic/pituitary gonadotropic axis as well. Despite these changes, healthy aging men appear to maintain normal circulating total and free T and DHT levels, despite modest increases in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and an small downward trend in serum androgens. Whether there are metabolic consequences such as altered body composition, muscle strength, and lipid profiles in the portion of the aging male population with larger androgen decrements requires further investigation.
we
and verbal
memory
in healthy
section /Maturitas
postmewpausaf
Kampen D.L.; Sherwin B.B. Department of Psychology, McGill Avenue, Montreal, Que. H3A lB1
University,
1205 Dr. Penfeld
OBSTET. GYNECOL.
1994 83/6 (979-983) Objective: To assesswhether differences in verbal memory might be related to estrogen use in a group of healthy, wellfunctioning, postmenopausal community-residing women from a broad socioeconomic range. Methods: Healthy postmenopausal women drawn from the general population were given tests of verbal and spatial memory, language, attention, and general spatial skills. The performance of women taking estrogen was compared to that of women from the same population who were not taking any form of estrogen replacement therapy. Results: There were no differences between the estrogen users and non-users on any sociodemographic variables. However, the scores of women taking estrogen were significantly higher on tests of immediate and delayed paragraph recall compared to the scores of non-users. No differences were apparent on other tests of cognitive functioning, including tests of spatial memory. Conclusion: Estrogen appears to have a specific effect on verbal memory skills in healthy postmenopausal women. The clinical relevance of these findings for healthy older women remains to be determined. Postural stability, faRs and fractures in the elderly: the Dubbo Osteqorasis Epidemiology Study
Results from
Lord S.R.; Sambrook P.N.; Gilbert C.; Kelly P.J.; Nguyen T.; Webster I.W.; Eisman J.A. Bone and Mineral Research Division, cal Research, St Vincent’s Hospital,
Garvan Institute of MediDarlinghurst, NSW 2010
MED. J. AUST. 1994 160/I 1 (684-685+688-691) Objective: To assessmeasures of postural stability in a large population of persons aged over 60 years in order to compare performance between failers and non-failers and relate postural stability to fracture prevalence. Methods: The sensorimotor, visual and balance functions were measured in 1762 ambulatory, community-dwelling patients aged between 60 and 100 years (mean age, 70.1 years) living in a large semi-urban Australian city. A history of recent falls and fractures was recorded at the time of assessment. Results: The prevalence of impairment in all tests increased with age. Men performed significantly better than women in tests of muscle strength, visual field dependence, sway on the floor with eyes open and dynamic balance.
21 (1995)
161
159-161
In the 12 months before testing, 72.3% of the patients experienced no falls, 18.4% fell only once and 9.3% fell on two or more occasions. Multiple failers had weaker quadriceps, poorer tactile sensitivity, greater visual field dependence and greater body sway than other patients. Test scores for once-only failers were mostly between those for non-failers and multiple failers. Those who suffered recent fall-related fractures had significantly reduced tactile sensitivity and quadriceps strength and increased body sway. Postural stability was also impaired in patients taking psychoactive and/or antihypertensive medications. Conclusion: Tests of postural stability can identify, independently of age, individuals living in the community who are at risk of falls and fall-related fractures. Male
menopause,
myth
or menace?
Harman SM.; Blackman M.R. Gerontology MD 21224
Research
Center,
4940 Eastern
Ave..
Baltimore,
ENDOCRINOLOGIST 1994 413 (212-217) No discrete event marks a transition to male reproductive senescence;however, a number of investigations have suggested that male fertility and reproductive hormone secretion decrease with age, giving rise to the term male menopause. Nearly all studies of seminiferous tubular function and morphology have found evidence of an age-related deterioration including anatomical lesions, reduced semen quality, elevated serum levels of inhibin, and diminished fertility. The question of altered androgen secretion remains controversial with evidence both for and against age-related reductions in testosterone (T), free T, and/or DHT in multiple investigations. Much of this controversy probably stems from noncomparable populations, especially with regard to confounding variables such as stress, illness, and medication use. Published findings to date agree that in healthy aging men there is a small but significant increase in basal levels of LH and a diminished T response to exogenous gonadotropin, suggesting an intrinsic loss of Leydig cell reserve. Moreover, there is evidence of a gradual loss of function of the hypothalamic/pituitary gonadotropic axis as well. Despite these changes, healthy aging men appear to maintain normal circulating total and free T and DHT levels, despite modest increases in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and an small downward trend in serum androgens. Whether there are metabolic consequences such as altered body composition, muscle strength, and lipid profiles in the portion of the aging male population with larger androgen decrements requires further investigation.