The Significance of Atrophy of the Testis in Schizophrenia

Abstract

In another paper in collaboration with Reiss and Taylor (1944) I have described and classified the state of testis function in schizophrenia, mental defect, and the common mental illnesses from an examination of specimens obtained by biopsy from 115 representative subjects, selected for adequate physical health and development. It was found convenient to classify all material in five grades according to the histological appearances. These have been fully described in our paper. In brief they indicate (1) complete normality, (2) normality with slight defects, (3) moderate atrophy, (4, 5) severe and very severe atrophy amounting in the worst cases to total loss of normal function. While we have regarded a Grade 3 specimen as significant in young subjects, it is probably not necessarily outside the normal expectation from the fourth decade upwards. Grades 4, 5 are, of course, indicative of a severe atrophying process at any age. In analysing the defects we noted and described degeneration of the seminiferous elements with changes in the tubular capsule. The basement membrane was affected first and principally, and underwent a form of hyaline degeneration. This, we felt, was the underlying cause of the atrophy of the seminiferous epithelium, and eventually led in many instances to complete destruction of lengths of the affected tubules. The interstitium was not subject to important change.