Skip to main content

Effect of Testosterone Examined From Adolescence Into Adulthood

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, June 23, 2023 -- Between middle and late adolescence, the effect of testosterone on anterior prefrontal cortex engagement decreases and shifts into an activational role by young adulthood, according to a study published online June 21 in Developmental Science.

Noting that during puberty, testosterone transitions from a neurodevelopmental to a social-sexual activating hormone in rodents, Anna Tyborowska, Ph.D., from Radboud University in the Netherlands, and colleagues examined whether this functional transition is also present in humans. The role of testosterone on neural control of social emotional behavior during the transitions from middle-to-late adolescence and into young adulthood was assessed using a prospective longitudinal design in 71 individuals tested at ages 14, 17, and 20 years. Participants performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging-adapted approach-avoidance task involving automatic and controlled actions in response to social emotional stimuli.

The researchers found that the effect of testosterone on anterior prefrontal cortex engagement decreased between middle and late adolescence in accordance with predictions from animal models and shifted into an activational role by young adulthood, preventing neural control of emotions. This change in function was accompanied by increased amygdala reactivity modulated by testosterone.

"Testosterone typically tends to be associated with aggression or dominance behavior, whereas in fact it has multifaceted roles across different developmental periods," Tyborowska said in a statement. "The findings of the current study are important for understanding both typical and atypical maturational trajectories of the brain, as well as considering the impact of external factors (such as stress) on brain function and development."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted June 2023

Read this next

BMI Cutoff of 30 for Obesity May Be Too High for Middle-Aged, Older Adults

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- The optimal body mass index (BMI) cutoff point appears to be 27 kg/m2 for detecting obesity in middle-aged and older adults, according to a study presented...

Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...

Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels Higher in Black Than White Women

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are higher in Black than White pregnant women, supporting the use of accounting for these differences in...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.