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Published on: March 11, 2018
Associations between depression, oxidative stress, and semen quality among 1,000 healthy men screened as potential
Yi-Xiang Ye1, Heng-Gui Chen2, Bin Sun1
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Insights
Depression is linked to poorer semen quality in men. While depression increases oxidative stress markers, this stress does not appear to mediate the negative impact on sperm health.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Psychiatry
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Depression is a prevalent mental health condition with potential systemic effects.
- Oxidative stress is implicated in various health issues, including reproductive dysfunction.
- The relationship between depression, oxidative stress, and male fertility requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between depression severity and semen quality in a cohort of male sperm donors.
- To examine the potential mediating role of oxidative stress in the relationship between depression and semen quality.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1,000 potential sperm donors who completed the Beck Depression Inventory.
- Measurement of oxidative stress biomarkers (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid, 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α) in urine.
- Analysis of repeated semen quality parameters (volume, concentration, motility) using linear or mixed-effects models and mediation analysis.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse dose-response relationship was observed between depression severity and semen quality parameters.
- Men with severe depression exhibited substantially lower semen volume, total sperm count, and motility compared to non-depressed men.
- Depression severity showed a positive dose-response relationship with urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Depression is associated with diminished semen quality in Chinese male sperm donors.
- Oxidative stress markers, specifically 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, are elevated with increasing depression severity.
- Oxidative stress does not mediate the observed associations between depression and impaired semen quality.
Objective:
To explore the association between depression and semen quality and the mediating role of oxidative stress.
Design:
Cross-sectional study with repeated measures of semen quality.
Setting:
Human Sperm Bank of Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
Patient(S):
From April 2017 to July 2018, we recruited 1,000 potential sperm donors who completed the Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire and had measures of oxidative stress biomarkers.
Intervention(S):
None.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Severity of depression was evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory scores (0-4, no depression; 5-13, mild depression; 14-20, moderate depression; and 21 or greater, severe depression). The urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid, and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-isoPGF2α) were measured to reflect oxidative stress status. Repeated semen quality parameters (n = 5,880) were examined by trained professional technicians according to the World Health Organization laboratory manual. Associations between depression, oxidative stress, and repeated measures of semen quality parameters were evaluated using linear or mixed-effects models with adjustment for potential confounders. Mediation analysis was performed to test the potential mediating role of oxidative stress.
Result(S):
A total of 391 (39.1%) men were classified as mild depression, 67 (6.7%) as moderate depression, and 19 (1.9%) as severe depression. Inverse dose-response relationships between severity of depression and semen quality parameters were found. Compared with men without depression (n = 523), those with severe depression had a 25.26% (95% confidence interval, -38.65%, -8.93%) lower semen volume, 37.04% (-55.37%, -11.20%) lower total sperm count, 13.57% (-23.17%, -2.78%) lower total motility, and 15.08% (-25.09%, -3.72%) lower progressive motility; men with moderate depression also had a 12.28% (-21.16%, -2.40%) lower semen volume and 23.56% (-36.50%, -7.97%) lower total sperm count. We found a positive dose-response relationship between severity of depression and urinary 8-isoPGF2α concentrations. However, we found no evidence that the associations between depression status and semen quality were mediated by oxidative stress markers.
Conclusion(S):
In the study of Chinese male sperm donors, men with depression had worse semen quality parameters, including semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, total motility, and progressive motility. Although depression was positively associated with urinary 8-isoPGF2α concentrations, depression-semen quality associations were not mediated by oxidative stress.
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