It prepares the body to respond effectively to potentially threatening situations by increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels, and dilating the pupils, among other physiological responses. Testosterone is postulated to have a protective effect against the development of dementia, as evidenced by the higher incidence of Alzheimer disease (AD) in women, who make up two-thirds of AD patients. Progressive testicular atrophy causing oligospermia is seen in 80% of men with DM1 along with reduced adrenal androgen synthesis . However, experiments with neural AR deletion or overexpression in SOD1-G93 A mice showed no significant impact on disease progression. Another study found that androgen supplementation led to muscle growth but worsened motor neuron death and survival. These observations further support the link between AR dysfunction and pathogenesis of ALS. It is hypothesized that loss of function of ARs located at spinal motor neurons, skeletal muscles, and certain cranial nerves increases axonal vulnerability to various insults, contributing to disease pathogenesis . The adrenal gland is activated almost simultaneously, via the sympathetic nervous system, and releases the hormone epinephrine. The reaction begins in the amygdala, which triggers a neural response in the hypothalamus. Efferent vagal fibers originating from the nucleus ambiguous fire in parallel to the respiratory system, decreasing the vagal cardiac parasympathetic tone. While the sympathetic nervous system is activated, the parasympathetic nervous system decreases its response. It activates the adrenal medulla, releasing catecholamines that amplify the sympathetic response. Those patients with primary diagnosis of prostate cancer and normal serum testosterone levels will be evaluated a second time after confirmation of low testosterone, as described above. The primary goal of this pilot study is to investigate the association between testosterone deficiency and the presence of abnormalities in the function of the autonomic nervous system. DHEA leads to increased cortical thickness and has positive effects on areas of visual attention and working memory . Research has indicated individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have elevated androgen levels when compared to their peers. Thus, it is hypothesized that alterations of ARs or androgen interactions with ARs located in the CNS may play a role in various neurological diseases and serve as a target for disease management. ARs are also found in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and various brain stem locations, predominating in the area postrema, motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, dorsal raphe nucleus, periaqueductal gray, retrorubral nucleus, retrotrapezoid nucleus, and substantia nigra. Notably, ARs have been identified in the forebrain, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, and olfactory bulb. Although the exact location and function of ARs in the adult brain remain under investigation, animal models have demonstrated the presence of ARs at multiple CNS locations.
