Male menopause: An unexplored area of men's health

This article addresses the complex clinical syndrome of male menopause, or andropause. Recent research on this topic has determined that this is a common and rarely treated condition, but has generated some controversy about whether or not this is just a normal part of aging. A broad range of psychiatric and somatic symptoms accompany the low testosterone levels in these patients. This is why psychiatrists need to be aware of the syndrome and work in concert with other medical specialties in assessing and treating these patients. Recent developments include the use of screening questionaires to identify target populations for more extensive evaluation, and the use of new delivery systems for the administration of testosterone to appropriate patients in more physiological fashion.