Case Report of the PET Scan Changes and Clinical Effects of Testosteronein the Treatment of a Stroke Patient

摘要

Testosterone has been known to improve functionality in stroke patients. In this case, we sought to illustrate thepossible cognitive effects of testosterone replacement therapy with the aid of PET scanning. Glucose metabolismgenerally worsened in this patient after 12 weeks of treatment. However, there was improved glucose metabolism (CGM)in the occipital lobe, middle temporal gyrus and cerebellum. The middle temporal gyrus is the location of thehippocampus, which is part of the limbic system and plays important roles in long term memory and spatial navigation.The patient reported that he was sharper after testosterone, and clinical testing showed modest improvements inperformance. This case finding needs to be confirmed with larger randomized controlled studies; but affords a window tothe possibility of adding testosterone for the rehabilitation of stroke patients.