Sexual effects of androgens in women: some theoretical considerations.
OBJECTIVE
To consider explanations for the inconsistent evidence concerning behavioral effects of androgens in women. The following possible explanatory mechanisms are explored: [1] Women vary in their behavioral responsiveness to T. [2] Some reported effects of exogenous T may be induced by increasing bioavailable estrogen. [3] Sexual effects of T may be secondary to direct effects on mood. [4] The relationship between T and sexuality is readily obscured by psychological mechanisms. [5] Stress-induced increases in adrenal androgens may further confuse the picture. [6] Women who respond to T respond to levels that are ineffective in men. There is no evidence of a threshold in women above which further increases in T have no additional effect.


CONCLUSIONS
A theoretical model, involving desensitization of the central nervous system to T during early development in the male, is presented as a possible explanation for some of these relevant differences between men and women and for much of the conflicting evidence in the literature on women.
Bancroft
John
J
Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. jbancroft@Indiana.edu
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
D013739:Testosterone