Neuropsychological Assessment in Elderly Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treated with Dutasteride

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease found in elderly men and 5α-reductase (5α-R) inhibitors are a commonly used treatment option. 5α-reduced steroids are compounds that play a role in several functions across different organs and systems. In the adult brain, 5α-R accounts for neuroactive steroid production. Whether neuropsychological impairment could be due to dutasteride treatment, a 5α-R inhibitor affecting the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is still unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate neuropsychological features in men receiving dutasteride. METHODS: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Beck Depression Inventory second edition (BDI-II) and the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire were administered in order to explore both cognitive impairment and psychological features. RESULTS: In a sample of BPH patients (n = 40; mean age 71.4 ± 7.4 years), men receiving dutasteride showed no significant differences during the neuropsychological assessment in comparison with an age-matched control group, consisting of BPH men not receiving dutasteride (p < 0.05). No significant associations were recorded between treatment duration and any of the administered tests. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study investigating the neuropsychological features in dutasteride users. Our preliminary data are consistent with the safety of dutasteride under a mental profile.