Effects of Stress-Induced Glucocorticoids on Reproductive Dysfunction in Men

Abstract

There are different factors affecting the reproductive fitness of organisms, such as the ecological and environmental factors, resource availability, and stress within their habitat. The challenging incidents in the organism’s environment result in activation of the response system of central stress mediated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This axis’s regulatory function controls such items as immune and cardiovascular functions, metabolisms, and reproductive system. Its activation shows reproductive function through various stressors. Through up-regulating glucocorticoids, stress can adversely influence fertility. Clinical studies and experimental data have demonstrated that stress signaling can have a mediatory effect during direct actions in gonads and reproductive system. The focus of this review is on the stress mechanisms via up-regulating glucocorticoids on male reproductive dysfunction. The individuals with abnormal Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) had higher serum FSH and LH and lower serum total testosterone compared to those with normal HADS. Besides, it was observed that in individuals with abnormal HADS, morphologically normal spermatozoa, sperm count, and motility are lower. For infertility of male cases, stress management is needed.