Role of androgen in the elderly. Dementia and androgen

Abstract It has been shown that age-related decline in androgen secretion is associated with cognitive impairment and the risk of dementia. Epidemiological studies using community-dwelling older people and observational studies enrolling subjects with cognitive impairment have demonstrated that older men with lower androgen levels have lower cognitive function and are likely to develop dementia. In contrast, the efficacy of androgen replacement therapy on cognitive function or dementia remains to be addressed, although some preliminary studies have reported positive effects on cognitive function. Randomized controlled trials and mechanistic clarification are required in the future.