PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of testosterone therapy on mood and cognitive symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study undertaken in a UK specialist menopause clinic. 510 women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with persistent low libido, cognitive and negative mood symptoms were treated with testosterone cream or gel for 4 months. A modified version of the Greene Climacteric Scale was used to measure self-reported symptom frequency and severity at baseline and 4 months after initiating treatment. RESULTS: All nine cognitive and mood symptoms significantly improved across the study period. Mood improved more than cognition (47% of women reported an improvement in mood vs. 39% reported an improvement in cognition
34% vs. 22% decrease in mean symptom scores, respectively). Regarding libido, 52% of women reported an improvement
mean symptom score decreased by 33%. CONCLUSION: Transdermal testosterone therapy for 4 months was associated with significant improvements in mood and cognition. Further research including randomised clinical trials are needed to establish the long-term efficacy and safety of testosterone for the treatment of menopausal cognitive and psychological symptoms.