The purpose of these studies are to evaluate the role of testosterone on autonomic and vascular function in men.
Sex hormones play a pivotal role in neurovascular function in humans. In recent years, great strides have been made in elucidating the roles of estrogen and progesterone on autonomic and vascular control in women; however, very little is known about the impact of testosterone in men. Given that low testosterone levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced exercise capacity and vascular dysfunction, it is evident that testosterone plays a pivotal role in autonomic and vascular function in men. Our current understanding of testosterone's effects on neurovascular control are confounded by numerous factors that independently alter autonomic and vascular function such as aging and chronic disease (e.g. cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease). The purpose of these studies are to evaluate the role of testosterone on autonomic and vascular function in young men to better isolate the effects of testosterone from the aforementioned confounding factors. The outcomes of these studies will provide novel information regarding the role of male sex hormones in autonomic and vascular control, and further our understanding of the influence of sex hormones on human physiology.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
GnRH antagonist - subcutaneous injection. Day 1: 1-3 mg; Days 2-14: 0.25mg/daily.
Testosterone gel - transdermal application of 5mg/day on Day 7-14 of GnRH antagonist
the University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
Muscle sympathetic nerve activity
Multi-unit postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) will be measured by inserting a unipolar tungsten microelectrode into the peroneal nerve near the fibular head of the leg. Neural signals will be amplified, filtered (bandwidth, 700-2,000 Hz), rectified, and integrated (time constant, 0.1 s) to obtain mean voltage neurograms. MSNA will be measured during both trials to evaluate the effect of testosterone on sympathetic activity directed toward the musculature.
Time frame: After 7 days GnRH antagonist alone and 7 days GnRH antagonist + Testosterone
Endothelial function
Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Brachial artery FMD measures will be performed non-invasively via Doppler ultrasound.
Time frame: After 7 days GnRH antagonist alone and 7 days GnRH antagonist + Testosterone
Forearm blood flow
Forearm blood flow will be measured using Doppler ultrasound at baseline and during stress (e.g. exercise)
Time frame: After 7 days GnRH antagonist alone and 7 days GnRH antagonist + Testosterone
Skeletal muscle microvascular blood flow
Microvascular blood flow will be measured using Diffuse correlation spectroscopy.
Time frame: After 7 days GnRH antagonist alone and 7 days GnRH antagonist + Testosterone
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