Neonatal sex-steroid hormones and cognitive abilities at six years.
Five sex-steroid hormones (testosterone, androstenedione, estradiol, estrone, and progesterone) were assayed in umbilical cord blood. Cognitive abilities were assessed as a part of a 6-year follow-up laboratory visit. Four subtests were given: reading, numbers, listening, and spatial ability. There were no significant differences between boys and girls in cognitive ability scores. Higher levels of perinatal androgens (testosterone and androstenedione) were significantly associated with low age-6 spatial ability in girls. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant proportion of the variance in cognitive abilities in girls could be accounted for by testosterone and androstenedione. No significant predictions were found for boys. The finding of a stable inverse association between sex and effect of hormones on abilities is discussed.
Jacklin
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CN
Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-1061.
Wilcox
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KT
Maccoby
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EE
D000124:Achievement; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D001077:Aptitude Tests; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol