title: The effects of sex steroids on spatial performance: a review and an experimental clinical investigation.
abstract: Males typically surpass females in spatial performance, an outcome that may be linked to testosterone and estrogen. The authors (a) review physiological mechanisms, developmental periods, and past empirical work relevant to sex steroids' effects on human spatial performance and (b) report an experimental study of the role of actively circulating sex steroids in adolescents being treated for delayed puberty (N = 55; mean age = 13.70 years). Sex steroids (simulating early, middle, and late puberty) and placebos were given alternately over 21 months and spatial tests were given every 3 months. Spatial performance showed traditional sex differences but did not vary with levels of actively circulating sex steroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. liben@psu.edu
authors.forename: Lynn S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Liben
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Susman
authors.forename: Jordan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: Vernon M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Chinchilli
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunselman
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Judith Semon
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dubas
authors.forename: Laurence M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Demers
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lookingbill
authors.forename: M Rose
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Darcangelo
authors.forename: Holleen R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.forename: Howard E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kulin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011628:Puberty, Delayed / Q000188:drug therapy; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D013739:Testosterone