Abstract
RationaleAnabolic androgenic steroids are used to improve physical performance or increase lean muscle mass. About one-third of users develop a dependency syndrome, which is characterized by elevated rates of psychopathology, cognitive impairments, and aggressive and antisocial behaviors. The mechanisms behind these intra- and interpersonal problems are not known.ObjectiveTo examine theory of mind (ToM), i.e., the ability to infer the mental state of others, in users of anabolic androgenic steroids. Reduced ToM may be one factor underlying the interpersonal problems that have been reported with prolonged use of anabolic androgenic steroids.MethodsThe Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) was used to assess ToM. Study participants were male/female weightlifters who used anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS, n = 34/9), who were dependent on anabolic androgenic steroids (AASdep, n = 44/7), and a non-using weightlifting comparison group (WLC, n = 69/16).ResultsAnalyses of variance showed that the AASdep group performed significantly worse than the WLC group, for all MASC measures (total ToM, cognitive ToM, affective ToM, overmentalizing/undermentalizing errors). Sex and sex x group interaction effects were non-significant.ConclusionsMale and female weightlifters who were dependent on anabolic androgenic steroids had impaired ToM. Their reduced social cognition may be one contributing factor to the elevated rates of antisocial behavior reported in this population.
Highlights
Human social behavior is a result of numerous interacting factors
Administration of testosterone-like substances far beyond a single dose is at the core of one substance use disorder, namely anabolic steroid dependence
We have previously shown that Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) dependence is associated with impaired social cognition, the ability to recognize emotions in moving bodies (Hauger et al 2019)
Summary
Human social behavior is a result of numerous interacting factors. Among these are the “social” hormones oxytocin and testosterone. Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) comprise testosterone and its synthetic derivatives Due to their anabolic effect, they are used by athletes, bodybuilders, and recreational athletes, to improve physical performance or increase lean muscle mass. When used to increase muscle mass (Parkinson and Evans 2006), they are often administered in doses that exceed the natural male production by 5–100 times (Brower 2002). These supraphysiological doses cause large alterations to the hormonal system, which in turn likely increase the hormonal effects on cognition, mood, and behavior
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