Testosterone levels and cognitive functioning in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and in healthy young women

Abstract

We investigated the possible influence of testosterone (T) on cognitive functioning in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine disorder associated with elevated levels of free testosterone (free T). Performance on a battery of neuropsychological tests in 29 women with elevated free T levels due to PCOS was compared to the performance of 22 age- and education-matched, healthy control women with free T levels in the normal female range. Women with PCOS had significantly higher levels of free T (estimated by the free androgen index) and demonstrated significantly worse performance on tests of verbal fluency, verbal memory, manual dexterity, and visuospatial working memory than the healthy control women. No differences between the groups were found on tests of mental rotation, spatial visualization, spatial perception, or perceptual speed. These results suggest that, in women, elevations in free T may be associated with poorer performance on cognitive tasks that tend to show a female advantage.