28-day oxidative stress induced by the reduced activity of complex I in GDX rats might not be enough to affect complexes II, III, and IV. Immunocytochemical 59, 62 and in situ hybridization 60, 61 studies identify the subpopulations of intracellular gonadal hormone receptor-bearing neurons in the SN, which suggested that specific subsets of midbrain dopaminergic neurons might be direct targets of gonadal hormones. Another reason might be that testosterone specifically regulates the subunits of complex I either via androgen receptor 59, 60 or via estrogen receptor 61, 62 when testosterone is aromatized to estrogen. Complex I seem more vulnerable than complexes II, III, and IV to oxidative damage caused by testosterone deficiency. The following reasons might explain the reduced activity of complex I in the SN of GDX rats. The reduced activity of complex I was found in the SN of GDX rats. Supplement of TP improves the decreased behavioral parameters of open-field activity in GDX rats . One hundred and twenty-eight rats were used to investigate the effect of testosterone deficiency and testosterone replacement on mitochondrial function. With advancing age, the reduced levels of testosterone in aged males 34–37 might facilitate the declines of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system by exacerbating the mitochondrial defects 15, 38 and increasing the oxidative damage in the substantia nigra. Of four mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, castration of male rats reduced the activity of mitochondrial complex I and downregulated the expression of ND1 and ND4 of 7 mitochondrial DNA- (mtDNA-) encoded subunits of complex I in the substantia nigra. Thus, how testosterone levels influence the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra was investigated in the study. In the present study, mitochondrial dysfunction in the aged male rat brain was exemplified by increased MDA levels, decreased GSH/GSSG ratio and MMP, as well as reduced activities of mitochondrial complex I and complex V. To address this issue, we evaluated behavioral responses, assessed neuronal function and integrity, and conducted a comprehensive analysis of mitochondria-related parameters in selected brain regions of aged (24 months old) male rats supplemented with testosterone propionate (TP). Although testosterone supplementation in male patients was shown to improve cognitive function in AD 12, 13, and to relieve motor and nonmotor symptoms in PD 14, 15, it remains unclear whether testosterone beneficially influences mitochondrial function in the aging brain. In the genomic pathway, 17β-estradiol or testosterone binds to its receptor, thereby inducing receptor dimerization and translocation of the entire complex to the nucleus. Therefore, the molecular components of the pathways activated by the sexual steroids be putative targets for anti-muscle decay strategies. Notably, Similar to the Localization of estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), a recent study has shown that besides being nuclear, AR also localizes into mitochondria (150). The actions of testosterone are mainly mediated by androgen receptor (AR), which binds to specific androgen response elements (AREs) in the promoter regions of target genes (139). Interestingly, it was found that subpopulations of ERα and ERβ exist in mitochondria, although it is still unclear if they can directly regulate mtDNA transcription (132–134). In the non-genomic pathway, membrane-localized ERα and ERβ sub-population, as well as GPER, trigger various protein-kinase (MAPK, PKB, and PKC) cascades. These hormonal changes influence not only energy production, but also play a major role in intracellular signaling, mitochondrial and nuclear gene transcription, and cell survival. Evidence suggests mitochondrial dysfunction related to ETC complex 4 and complex 5 activity led to increased ROS production that is attenuated following a combined supplementation of estrogen and progesterone. Moreover, in a rodent study, an increase in testosterone levels have been shown to decrease fear and anxiety-like behaviors in female and male mice respectively (Celec et al., 2015). Finally, females with a history of CRPS had significant alterations in protein leak related to the mitochondrial uncoupling in this study sample. Intercellular mitochondrial transfer has emerged as a conserved mode of cell–cell communication that supports mitochondrial homeostasis and cellular function14,15,16. Loss of Vcam1 in LCs hinders this mitochondrial transfer, thereby compromising testosterone production. As she learned more about neurobiology, neuroimmunology, and behavior, her interests in the interplay between sex hormones, synaptic function, and mitochondrial health as drivers of behavioral shifts grew. Currently, Ms. Shaw is working in the lab of Gretchen Neigh, Ph.D. studying the long term, sex-specific changes in neural mitochondrial function following chronic adolescent stress. The changes appear to occur in the mitochondria first, suggesting mitochondrial malfunction may be a prodrome to a variety of disorders (Apaijai et al., 2020; Araujo et al., 2020; Rettberg et al., 2014; Song et al., 2021). Grasping a better understanding of the mechanisms suggested here will enable further development of therapies aimed to combat age and estrogen related mitochondrial malfunction and may explain the complex interactions with cycle stage and inflammation that has been shown to yield cycle stage specific outcomes. In a recent study by myself and colleagues (Shaw et al., 2021), results suggest that mitochondrial respiration within isolated synaptosomes are dependent upon estrogen levels. Use red light therapy, which has been shown to support mitochondrial function and enhance testosterone production by stimulating ATP production in cells. Supplements of testosterone propionate to castrated male rats ameliorated the activity of mitochondrial complex I and upregulated the expression of mitochondrial ND1 and ND4. In conclusion, our study revealed that testosterone supplementation improved exploratory behavior, attenuated neuronal dysfunction and neuronal loss, and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction by enhancing both mitochondrial antioxidative capacity and mitochondrial biogenesis of aged male rats. Increased PINK1/Parkin and decreased P62 expression in the SN and HIPP of testosterone-supplemented rats further suggested that enhanced mitophagy likely contributes to the beneficial effect of testosterone supplementation against mitochondrial dysfunction in the aged rat brain. These findings, along with those of the present study, demonstrated that cognitive/behavioral deficits and mitochondrial dysfunction in the aged male brain are, to some extent, related to decreased serum testosterone levels. In turn, orchiectomy was shown to disturb mitochondrial function, evidenced by increased mitochondrial H2O2 production and decreased MMP in the SN of adult male rats . These findings strongly suggest that testosterone supplementation ameliorates age-related brain mitochondria dysfunction in male rats by enhancing both mitochondrial antioxidative capacity and mitochondrial biogenesis.