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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

The 4 Mountains Test: A Short Test of Spatial Memory with High Sensitivity for the Diagnosis of Pre-dementia Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: October 13, 2016
Testosterone improves spatial memory in men with Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment
M M Cherrier1, A M Matsumoto, J K Amory
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA. cherrier@u.washington.edu
Objective:
To determine the efficacy of testosterone (T) supplementation on cognition in a sample of men with Alzheimer disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Methods:
Fifteen patients with AD and 17 patients with MCI aged 63 to 85 years completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Nineteen participants received weekly intramuscular (IM) injections of 100 mg T enanthate and 13 participants received weekly injections of placebo (saline) for 6 weeks. Cognitive evaluations using a battery of neuropsychological tests were conducted at baseline, week 3, and week 6 of treatment and again after 6 weeks of washout.
Results:
Peak serum total T levels were raised from baseline an average of 295% in the active treatment group. Improvements in spatial memory (p < 0.05) and constructional abilities (p < 0.05) and verbal memory were evident in the T group. No changes were noted for selective and divided attention or language. Prostate specific antigen did not significantly change during this brief treatment.
Conclusion:
Testosterone supplementation may benefit selective cognitive functions in men with Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment.
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