Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly associated with
a higher cardiometabolic risk. The relationship between steroid
hormones and cardiometabolic profile in PCOS has been
evaluated, but no single hormonal predictor of this association
has been identified to determine. To determine the relationship
between steroid hormones and cardiometabolic risk factors in
PCOS women. Study included 64 women diagnosed with PCOS.
Fasting blood samples were analyzed for biochemical, metabolic
parameters and sex steroid hormones. PCOS women with
BMI≥27 had significantly higher serum free testosterone (FT),
free androgen index (FAI), estrone (E1) (p=0.014, p=0.02,
p=0.01) than those with normal weight. In all subjects
E1 positively correlated with BMI (p=0.0067), serum insulin
(p=0.0046), HOMA-IR (p=0.0125) and negatively with
HDL-cholesterol (p=0.009). FAI positively correlated with serum
cholesterol (p=0.0457), triacylglycerols (TAG) (p=0.0001),
HOMA-IR (p=0.037), and glycemia (p=0.0001), negatively with
HDL-cholesterol (p=0.029). In multiple linear regression model
E1 most significantly predicted HOMA-IR, whereas FT/FAI
predicted HDL-cholesterol and BMI. We conclude that PCOS
women with marked overweight or obesity have higher FT, FAI
and E1 as compared with nonobese PCOS subjects. E1 and FT
may predict worse cardiometabolic profile in PCOS.
Sex and gender matter in all aspects of life. Humans exhibit sexual dimorphism in anatomy, physiology, but also pathology. Many of the differences are due to sex chromosomes and, thus, genetics, other due to endocrine factors such as sex hormones, some are of social origin. Over the past decades, huge number of scientific studies have revealed striking sex differences of the human brain with remarkable behavioral and cognitive consequences. Prenatal and postnatal testosterone influence brain structures and functions, respectively. Cognitive sex differences include especially certain spatial and language tasks, but they also affect many other aspects of the neurotypical brain. Sex differences of the brain are also relevant for the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, which are much more prevalent in the male population. Structural dimorphism in the human brain was welldescribed, but recent controversies now question its importance. On the other hand, solid evidence exists regarding gender differences in several brain functions. This review tries to summarize the current understanding of the complexity of the effects of testosterone on brain with special focus on their role in the known sex differences in healthy individuals and people in the autism spectrum.