title: Patterns of lateralization and performance levels for verbal and spatial tasks in congenital androgen deficiency.
abstract: The effects of congenital deficiency of gonadal hormones on verbal and spatial performance and on the establishment of hemispheric asymmetries were investigated in a group of patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The patients showed a left hemispheric advantage for verbal material and were mildly impaired, mainly on tasks involving a short-term memory load, in comparison with a matched control group. These results do not indicate a specific role of gonadal hormones on the establishment of hemispheric asymmetries. Lack of exposure during brain development results in a decrease in memory functions which is not specific for verbal or spatial material.
authors.affiliation: Divisione Neurologica, Ospedale Niguarda-Cà Granda, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cappa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guariglia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papagno
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pizzamiglio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vallar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zoccolotti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Santiemma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D013734:Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013067:Speech Perception; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone