ScienceDaily: Elevated Testosterone Kills Nerve Cells

The linked article describes research where cultures of nerve cells show apoptosis - a programmed cell death process - when high concentrations of testosterone are present. The link to human medicine is that treatment with testosterone or other steroids may reach concentrations that trigger apoptosis in the human brain. This could explain the various neurological and behavioral changes noted in steroid abusers, like “hyperexcitability, a highly aggressive nature, and suicidal tendencies”.

The testosterone-induced apoptosis described in this study occurs through overactivation of intracellular Ca2+ signaling pathways. Overstimulation of the apoptotic program in neurons has been associated with several neurological illnesses, such as Alzheimer disease and Huntington disease.

So, when someone mentions “testosterone poisoning”, it’s not just a funny saying anymore.