Leo Sher, M.D.

Our case study and a review of the relevant literature, “Bipolar disorder, testosterone administration, and homicide: a case report” was published 10 years ago in the August 2014 issue of the International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice (1).

We reported and discussed a case of a patient with bipolar disorder, polysubstance use disorder, and hypogonadism who murdered his wife shortly after a testosterone injection. Our case study as well as several case reports in the literature suggests that testosterone administration or high testosterone levels may be associated with homicidal behavior. Further studies of the role of testosterone in the neurobiology of violent and homicidal behavior may lead to improvements in the prevention of homicides.

Reference

1. Sher L, Landers S. Bipolar disorder, testosterone administration, and homicide: a case report. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract. 2014 Aug;18(3):215-6. doi: 10.3109/13651501.2014.894075. Epub 2014 Mar 16.