Possible relationship between testosterone and comorbid major depressive episode in male patients with schizophrenia treated with typical antipsychotic medications

In this cross-sectional study, the author tested the hypothesis that serum testosterone levels were associated with depressive illness in chronic male schizophrenia patients. The subjects were 49 male inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia treated with typical antipsychotic medications. The author found that the schizophrenia patients with major depressive episodes (MDE) had been taking significantly higher dosages of antipsychotic medications than those without an MDE. Also, there was a trend for the serum testosterone concentration to be lower in schizophrenia patients with an MDE. It is suggested that we should be aware of testosterone levels when we find depression in chronic male schizophrenia patients, especially those treated with high-dose typical antipsychotic medications.