Correlation between thyroid function, testosterone levels, and depressive symptoms in females with spinal cord injury

This study investigates the connection between hormone levels (testosterone and thyroid-stimulating hormone) and depressive symptoms in women with spinal cord injuries (SCI). The research highlights a gap in understanding women's health issues post-SCI due to a research focus on male-specific concerns. The study found that lower testosterone levels were associated with increased depressive symptoms in women with SCI, even when considering the time since their injury. This suggests a potential link between hormonal changes and mental health in this population. The research also observed that women with SCI who engaged in monthly sexual activity reported fewer clinically relevant depressive symptoms. This suggests that sexual activity may have a positive impact on mental well-being in women with SCI.

• 1
  Low total testosterone was observed in 20% of the participants, and this was associated with increased depressive symptoms after accounting for time from injury.
• 2
  There was a significant negative correlation between time from injury and CES-D ratings, indicating decreased depressive symptoms with greater time from injury.
• 3
  Monthly sexual activity was associated with a lower proportion of individuals with clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms.