Associations of sex steroid hormones with cerebral activations during mental rotation in men and women with schizophrenia

Sex steroid hormones have been implicated in the visuo-spatial abilities in the general population, as well as in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Nevertheless, almost nothing is known about the association between levels of testosterone and/or estrogen with brain activations during visuo-spatial processing in schizophrenia. The fMRI data collected during performance of a mental rotation task in 42 schizophrenia patients (21 women) and 42 matched controls, were correlated with the levels of testosterone and estrogen. Results revealed significant relationship between sex steroid hormones and cerebral activations in healthy men and in schizophrenia women, but no correlations were detected in healthy women or in male patients. The lack of correlations and the overall diminished levels of testosterone in male patients are consistent with some existing literature. On the other hand, the findings of augmented levels of testosterone and its implication in cerebral activations in female patients are unprecedented and merit further exploration.