Sex Steroid Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Samples Quantified by Mass Spectrometry in Men

November 2023 in “ Endocrine Connections ”

Henrik Ryberg, Anna‐Karin Norlén, Andreas Landin, Per Johansson, Zeinab Salman, Anders Wallin, Johan Svensson, Claes Ohlsson

dehydroepiandrosterone androstenedione testosterone dihydrotestosterone estradiol estrone progesterone sex steroid hormones cerebrospinal fluid serum gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry DHEA DHT E2 E1 GC-MS/MS

From the encyclopedia

dehydroepiandrosterone →

Estradiol →

an estrogen promoting hair regrowth more commonly used in women

Studysummary This study developed a validated gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay to assess sex steroid hormones in cerebrospinal fluid, finding substantial levels of DHEA, androstenedione, and testosterone, with strong correlations to serum levels, providing insight into sex steroid dynamics in the human CNS. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

This study validated a sensitive GC-MS/MS assay to quantify sex steroid hormones in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum from 47 men, revealing that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the predominant sex steroid in CSF, while testosterone is most abundant in serum. The research found strong correlations between CSF and serum levels for most steroids, except estradiol (E2), suggesting that testosterone in CSF primarily comes from circulating testosterone, whereas DHT and E2 result from local conversion within the CNS. The study emphasizes the importance of mass spectrometric assays for accurate measurement of sex steroids in CSF and suggests that future research should include broader panels and diverse populations to better understand sex steroid dynamics in the CNS.

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