A recent study published in the journal Psychopharmacology, found that men who use anabolic steroids have difficulty identifying emotional facial expressions, especially anger and disgust. In particular, this effect is more pronounced in people dependent on steroids.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone, widely known for their use among athletes and bodybuilders to improve physical performance and build muscle mass. Despite their popularity, steroids are associated with a number of side effects, including significant effects on mental health and cognitive function.
Previous studies have linked anabolic steroid use to increased aggression, anxiety, depression and personality disorders. Interestingly, these behavioral changes may result from impairments in social-cognitive functions such as recognizing and interpreting other people’s emotions—key skills for effective nonverbal communication and empathy.
The researchers decided to study the specific effects of anabolic steroids on emotion recognition. They hypothesized that chemical use would be correlated with decreased emotion recognition accuracy, potentially mediated by altered hormone levels.
Our team had previously investigated the role of anabolic steroids in recognizing emotions from movements and videos, so we were interested in how people who use or have used steroids recognize emotions from facial expressions.
We were also interested in whether fluctuations in hormone levels could explain any differences in emotion recognition abilities. The ability to recognize and respond to other people’s emotions may have implications for social behavior.
— study author Morgan Scarth
The study involved 171 adult men involved in intensive strength training, divided into two main groups: those who used anabolic steroids (94 participants) and a control group with no history of steroid use (77 participants). The steroid group was further divided based on current use status into those who used steroids and those who stopped.
Participants completed a comprehensive assessment, including emotion recognition tasks, hormone levels, and an assessment of steroid dependence. Emotion recognition was tested using a computerized task in which participants identified emotions based on facial expressions. Hormone levels were analyzed from blood samples, including serum free testosterone index (FTI).
Men who used steroids showed significantly lower ability to accurately recognize emotional facial expressions of anger and disgust. This indicates that steroid use may impair people’s ability to interpret these specific negative emotions, which may have consequences for interactions and communication.
The researchers also found that people with steroid addiction had poorer fear recognition compared to those without addiction. This suggests that, in addition to the general effects of steroid use, the development of dependence on these substances may be associated with additional deficits in social cognition. However, the researchers found no evidence that testosterone levels clearly reflect the effect of steroid use on the ability to recognize emotional facial expressions.
However, the study does not reflect the whole reality. The sample included only men actively engaged in strength training and predominantly Norwegian – this greatly limits the results, which does not allow general conclusions to be drawn. This will require research on a wider population, including women and people from other countries. It is worth considering that the use of anabolic steroids may be one of the consequences of deeper factors, including those affecting the ability to recognize emotions.
The research team plans to delve deeper into the neurological effects of anabolic steroids, with a particular focus on how these substances affect brain aging and cognitive function over time. By revealing the nuanced effects of synthetic hormones on the mind and social life, research may help develop more effective methods of helping people who use and are dependent on steroids.
2024-04-08 07:30:00
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