Psychological and serum homovanillic acid changes in men administered androgenic steroids

We report a difference in the response of serum homovanillic acid (HVA) and in the performance of some psychological tasks before and after the administration of testosterone enanthate (TE, 100 or 300 mg/wk) or nandrolone decanoate (ND, 100 or 300 mg/wk) for 6 wk to healthy men. Serum HVA was significantly increased in both the low- and high-dose ND groups, from 8.4 +/- 1.0 and 8.7 +/- 0.5 pmol/ml (mean +/- SE) to 11.6 +/- 1.7 and 10.7 +/- 1.1 pmol/ml respectively. No significant changes in HVA were observed for the groups administered TE, nor in 5-HIAA for any of the groups. The influence of ND on the dopaminergic system, which is reflected in increased serum HVA, appears to be independent from the psychological effects which were produced by both androgens. The only change in psychomotor test performance was an improvement in the first trial of a pegboard task. All subjects except those receiving ND (100 mg/wk) were significantly more optimistic in the prediction of their own performance for all nondominant hand tasks (pegboard and finger tapping). The "hostility" and "resentment and aggression" subscales of the MMPI increased significantly in all groups, more so in the high-dose groups.