Cognitive changes associated with ADT: a review of the literature.

The use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has increased since the early 1990s after early detection efforts and greater use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Although ADT is associated with favorable clinical outcomes, ADT has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, increased serum cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance, body mass index and fat body mass. Here we review findings from 11 clinical studies examining the effects of ADT on cognition as measured by standardized tests in cognitive domains such as verbal and spatial memory.