Activating effects of androgens on cognitive performance: Causal evidence in a group of female-to-male transsexuals

Stephanie H.M. Van Goozen; Peggy T. Cohen-Kettenis; Louis J.G. Gooren; Nico H. Frijda; Nanne E. Van de Poll

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(94)90099-X

Activating effects of androgens on cognitive performance: Causal evidence in a group of female-to-male transsexuals

Stephanie H.M. Van Goozen, Peggy T. Cohen-Kettenis, Louis J.G. Gooren, Nico H. Frijda, Nanne E. Van de Poll

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

It is still unclear whether sex differences in cognitive functioning are mainly due to perinatal organizing effects of sex hormones on the brain, or to activating effects in adulthood. In a group of 22 female-to-male transsexuals a battery of visuospatial and verbal ability tests was administered twice: shortly before and 3 months after the start of androgen treatment. The administering of androgens was clearly associated with an increase in spatial ability performance. In contrast, it had a deteriorating effect on verbal fluency tasks. This study offers preliminary evidence that androgens directly and quickly affect cognitive performance in females.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1153-1157
Number of pages	5
Journal	Neuropsychologia
Volume	32
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(94)90099-X
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 1994

Keywords

FM transsexuals
activating effects
sex hormones
testosterone
verbal fluency
visuospatial ability

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https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(94)90099-X

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title = "Activating effects of androgens on cognitive performance: Causal evidence in a group of female-to-male transsexuals",

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AU - Frijda, Nico H.

AU - Van de Poll, Nanne E.

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AB - It is still unclear whether sex differences in cognitive functioning are mainly due to perinatal organizing effects of sex hormones on the brain, or to activating effects in adulthood. In a group of 22 female-to-male transsexuals a battery of visuospatial and verbal ability tests was administered twice: shortly before and 3 months after the start of androgen treatment. The administering of androgens was clearly associated with an increase in spatial ability performance. In contrast, it had a deteriorating effect on verbal fluency tasks. This study offers preliminary evidence that androgens directly and quickly affect cognitive performance in females.

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Activating effects of androgens on cognitive performance: Causal evidence in a group of female-to-male transsexuals

Abstract

Keywords

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