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Testosterone improves maze performance and induces development of a male hippocampus in females

Brain ResearchPublished 1 February 1992
Robin L. Roof, Michael D. Havens
Citations328
SJR quartileQ2
SJR score0.85
SNIP0.72

TL;DR

A testosterone-related sexual dimorphism in the granule cell layer of the hippocampus of Sprague-Dawley rats that appears to be related to sex differences in spatial performance was observed and a strong correlation between the size of granules cell layers and maze performance was detected.

Abstract

In a combined behavioral and morphometric study, we observed a testosterone-related sexual dimorphism in the granule cell layer of the hippocampus of Sprague-Dawley rats that appears to be related to sex differences in spatial performance. This cell layer was larger and laterally asymmetrical in males. Neonatal testosterone treatment of females resulted in a more male-like hippocampus. These treated females also performed better than controls, and as well as males, on a spatial navigation task. In addition, a strong correlation between the size of granule cell layers and maze performance was detected.

Keywords

PsychologyNeuroscience