The DOI matches its Crossref record; 36 of the 36 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Prenatal testosterone and gender-related behaviour
Abstract
Testosterone plays an important role in mammalian brain development. In neural regions with appropriate receptors testosterone, or its metabolites, influences patterns of cell death and survival, neural connectivity and neurochemical characterization. Consequently, testosterone exposure during critical periods of early development produces permanent behavioural changes. In humans, affected behaviours include childhood play behaviour, sexual orientation, core gender identity and other characteristics that show sex differences (i.e. differ on average between males and females). These influences have been demonstrated primarily in individuals who experienced marked prenatal hormone abnormalities and associated ambiguities of genital development (e.g. congenital adrenal hyperplasia). However, there is also evidence that testosterone works within the normal range to make some individuals within each sex more sex-typical than others. The size of testosterone-related influences, and perhaps even their existence, varies from one sex-typed characteristic to another. For instance: prenatal exposure to high levels of testosterone has a substantial influence on sex-typical play behaviour, including sex-typed toy preferences, whereas influences on core gender identify and sexual orientation are less dramatic. In addition: there appears to be little or no influence of prenatal testosterone on mental rotations ability, although mental rotations ability shows a marked sex difference. These findings have implications for basic understanding of the role of testosterone in normative gender development, as well as for the clinical management of individuals with disorders of sex development (formerly called intersex syndromes).
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Psychological differences between men and women on mental function (e.g., rotational orientation) (150) as well as mood, motivation, and behavioral effects may involve androgen-sensitive effects during prenatal and perinatal as well as postpubertal effects (151, 152).”
From Circulating Testosterone as the Hormonal Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance (2018) · cites this paper as [151]
Citations
Cites
Voyer, D., Voyer, S., & Bryden, M. P. (1995) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.117.2.250 · Cited by 2,868
Asperger’s syndrome: a clinical account
Wing, L. (1981) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291700053332 · Cited by 1,913
Gender differences in mathematics performance: A meta-analysis.
Hyde, J. S., Fennema, E., & Lamon, S. J. (1990) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.139 · Cited by 1,732
Early Androgens Are Related to Childhood Sex-Typed Toy Preferences
Berenbaum, S. A., & Hines, M. (1992) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.1992.tb00028.x · Cited by 487
Hines, M., Brook, C. G. D., & Conway, G. S. (2004) · The Journal of Sex Research · doi:10.1080/00224490409552215 · Cited by 445
Gender dysphoria and gender change in chromosomal females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Dessens, A. B., Slijper, F. M. E., & Drop, S. L. S. (2005) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-005-4338-5 · Cited by 425
Disorders of sex differentiation
Grumbach, M. M. (1992) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 402
Early hormonal influences on cognitive functioning in congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Resnick, S. M., Berenbaum, S. A., Gottesman, I. I., & Bouchard, T. J. (1986) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/0012-1649.22.2.191 · Cited by 379
Psychosexual Development of Women with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Zucker, K. J., Bradley, S. J., Oliver, G., Blake, J. M., Fleming, S., & Hood, J. E. (1996) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1006/hbeh.1996.0038 · Cited by 347
Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome: Long-Term Medical, Surgical, and Psychosexual Outcome
Wisniewski, A. B., Migeon, C. J., Meyer‐Bahlburg, H. F. L., Gearhart, J. P., Berkovitz, G. D., Brown, T. R., & Money, J. (2000) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jcem.85.8.6742 · Cited by 344
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 4
- 2002, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 85, 2664
- 2000, TWIN RESEARCH, 3, 266
- Akhunbaev, 1973, Medline Rows With NULL issns Will Point To This, 6, 21
- 1994, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 55, 64
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 101–171 of 171
Controversies of Sex Re-assignment in Genetic Males with Congenital Inadequacy of the Penis
Raveenthiran, V. (2017) · The Indian Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1007/s12098-017-2412-3 · Cited by 11
Trans women are real women: a critical realist intersectional response to Pilgrim
Summersell, J. (2018) · Journal of Critical Realism · doi:10.1080/14767430.2018.1493884 · Cited by 11
Manami, K., Hattori, T., Suzuki, G., Matsukami, H., Komine, C., Horii, Y., Watanabe, G., Oti, T., Sakamoto, H., Soga, T., et al. (2017) · Journal of Applied Toxicology · doi:10.1002/jat.3569 · Cited by 9
Brañas‐Garza, P., Chowdhury, S. M., Espín, A. M., & Nieboer, J. (2023) · Journal of Economic Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.joep.2023.102623 · Cited by 9
Prenatal hormones (2D:4D), intrasexual competition, and materialism in women
Nepomuceno, M. V., Pastore, C. M. D. A., & Stenstrom, E. P. (2019) · Psychology and Marketing · doi:10.1002/mar.21295 · Cited by 9
Integrating genealogy and dental variation: contributions to biological anthropology
Paul, K. S., Feezell, R., Hughes, T. E., & Brook, A. H. (2022) · American Journal of Biological Anthropology · doi:10.1002/ajpa.24662 · Cited by 7
Digit Ratios and Dominance in Female Baboons (Papio hamadryas and Papio ursinus)
Howlett, C., Marshall, A. R., & Hughes, W. O. H. (2012) · International Journal of Primatology · doi:10.1007/s10764-012-9636-x · Cited by 8
Tomaszewska, A., & Lubońska, J. A. (2022) · Anthropological Review · doi:10.18778/1898-6773.85.2.07 · Cited by 7
Estrogen Receptor Immunoreactivity in Late-Gestation Fetal Lambs1
Gorton, L. M., Mahoney, M. M., Magorien, J. E., Lee, T. M., & Wood, R. I. (2009) · Biology of Reproduction · doi:10.1095/biolreprod.108.073189 · Cited by 6
The association between steroid hormones and cognitive performance in adulthood
Thilers, P. P. (2009) · Figshare · Cited by 6
Brain Development and Sexual Orientation
Balthazart, J. (2012) · Colloquium Series on The Developing Brain · doi:10.4199/c00064ed1v01y201208dbr008 · Cited by 5
Sakaguchi, K., & Tawata, S. (2024) · Frontiers in Endocrinology · doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1343759 · Cited by 6
The Male Prevalence in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Hypotheses on its Neurobiological Basis
Keller, F., & Ruta, L. (2010) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1272-5_2 · Cited by 5
Karaismailoğlu, S., Tuncer, M., Bayrak, Ş. E., Erdogan, G., Ergun, E., & Erdem, A. (2017) · Naunyn-Schmiedeberg s Archives of Pharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00210-017-1383-2 · Cited by 5
Psychosexual Development in Individuals with Disorders of Sex Development
Köhler, B., Jürgensen, M., Kleinemeier, E., & Thyen, U. (2013) · Focus on sexuality research · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-7441-8_6 · Cited by 5
Palmar grasp behavior in full-term newborns in the first 72hours of life
Dionísio, J., de Moraes, M. V. M., Tudella, E., de Carvalho, W. B., & Krebs, V. L. J. (2014) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.11.009 · Cited by 5
Nepomuceno, M. V., & Stenstrom, E. P. (2021) · Journal of Behavioral Decision Making · doi:10.1002/bdm.2222 · Cited by 5
Androgen Regulation of Neural Circuit Activity: Molecules and Mechanisms
Durdiaková, J., & Celec, P. (2016) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-803592-4.00047-x · Cited by 4
The genetics and hormonal basis of human gender identity
Batista, R. L., & Oliveira, L. M. B. (2024) · Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism · doi:10.20945/2359-4292-2024-0232 · Cited by 6
X & Y Chromosomal Variations: Hormones, Brain Development, and Neurodevelopmental Performance
Samango‐Sprouse, C. A., & Gropman, A. L. (2016) · Colloquium Series on The Developing Brain · doi:10.4199/c00134ed1v01y201506dbr013 · Cited by 3
George, R. (2016) · Cited by 3
Cord blood androgen levels of females from same sex and opposite sex twins – A pilot study
Galiano, V., Solazzo, G., Rabinovici, J., Farzam, N., Hemi, R., Baccarelli, A., & Machtinger, R. (2020) · Clinical Endocrinology · doi:10.1111/cen.14317 · Cited by 3
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in urban India
Manlove, H. A. (2020) · Digital Scholarship - UNLV (University of Nevada Reno) · doi:10.34917/2269240 · Cited by 3
Turan, Ş., Boysan, M., Tarakçıoğlu, M. C., Sağlam, T., Yassa, A. E., Bakay, H., Demirel, Ö. F., & Tosun, M. (2021) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-021-01938-5 · Cited by 3
Hromatko, I., & Tadinac, M. (2024) · Symmetry · doi:10.3390/sym16020172 · Cited by 2
Nautiyal, H., Roy, K. K., & Dwivedi, S. (2026) · ACS Chemical Neuroscience · doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.5c00574 · Cited by 3
Andrievskaya, I., & Semenova, M. (2016) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.07.019 · Cited by 2
Kaşdarma, E. (2023) · Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry · doi:10.18863/pgy.1146546 · Cited by 2
The UK Supreme Court's ruling and the rights of transgender people
Herbert, J. (2025) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(25)00834-7 · Cited by 2
Mailhos, Á., Buunk, A. P., & del Arca, D. (2013) · Ciencias Psicológicas · doi:10.22235/cp.v7i1.1055 · Cited by 2
Naturally Selected Mate Preferences Appear to Be Androgen-Influenced: Evidence from Two Cultures
Ellis, L., & Ratnasingam, M. (2015) · Evolutionary Psychological Science · doi:10.1007/s40806-015-0014-8 · Cited by 2
Androgen receptor in the neural tube of the mouse and chicken embryo
Méndez, C., Vidales, R. N., Mondragón-Huerta, C. G., Gómora, M. J., & Pedernera, E. A. (2009) · Neuroreport · doi:10.1097/wnr.0b013e3283294114 · Cited by 2
Sexual Dials (Not Switches) Theory: An Evolutionary Perspective on Sex and Gender Complexity
Schmitt, D. P. (2017) · Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture · doi:10.26613/esic.1.1.18 · Cited by 3
Osadchuk, L., & Alekhina, T. (2018) · Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology · doi:10.1134/s0022093018010076 · Cited by 2
Biologiczne i środowiskowe uwarunkowania orientacji seksualnej
Brodziak, A., & Kłopotowski, T. (2013) · Annales Academiae Medicae Silesiensis · Cited by 2
Specifics of interpersonal trust among people with different gender identities
Zinchenko, Y. P., Zotova, O. Y., & Tarasova, L. V. (2017) · Psychology in Russia State of Art · doi:10.11621/pir.2017.0209 · Cited by 2
Young Children’s Gender Development
Best, D. L., & Gibbons, J. L. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-27033-9_6 · Cited by 1
Early prenatal sex steroids and sex-typed play behavior at 4 years of age
Sethuram, S., Raymond, S., Wang, C., Barrett, E. S., Bush, N. R., Nguyen, R. H. N., Sathyanarayana, S., Swan, S. H., & Evans, S. F. (2023) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106288 · Cited by 1
Moeller, J., Lieb, R., Meyer, A. H., Lötscher, K. Q., Krastel, B., & Meinlschmidt, G. (2014) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.02.012 · Cited by 1
Health Consequences Due to Prenatal Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical Exposure
Annamalai, J., & Vasudevan, N. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-62731-1_22 · Cited by 1
Testosterone Treatment in Male Patients with Klinefelter’s Syndrome
Corona, G., Guaraldi, F., Dicuio, M., Sforza, A., Krausz, C. G., & Maggi, M. (2020) · Trends in andrology and sexual medicine · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-51410-5_26 · Cited by 1
Sex-typical behavior in children born preterm at very low birth weight
Lamminmäki, A., Kuiri‐Hänninen, T., & Sankilampi, U. (2020) · Pediatric Research · doi:10.1038/s41390-020-01133-7 · Cited by 1
Hejná, M., Ackerman, L. M., & Wallenberg, J. C. (2020) · Biolinguistics · doi:10.5964/bioling.9171 · Cited by 1
The signaling function of artificial ornamentation in humans
Wohlrab, S. (2007) · doi:10.53846/goediss-1316 · Cited by 1
Treatment and Outcome of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency
Lee, P. A., Fuqua, J. S., & Nebesio, T. D. (2010) · International Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology · doi:10.1155/2010/276843 · Cited by 1
Vuoksimaa, E. (2010) · Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja · Cited by 1
Isbell, J. (2017) · Scholars' Bank (University of Oregon) · Cited by 1
Hirvikoski, T. (2011) · Figshare
Gender and linguistic variation: A role for hormonal organising effects?
Karatzenis, A.-M., Wallenberg, J. C., Fruehwald, J., & Turton, D. (2015)
Spizzirri, G. (2016) · Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo) · doi:10.11606/t.5.2016.tde-18112016-123020
Using a mouse model to investigate male bias in autism spectrum disorder incidence.
Gordon, E. A. (2016) · ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository (University of Louisville) · doi:10.18297/etd/2608
Attention To People Like You: A Proposal Regarding Neuroendocrine Effects on Linguistic Variation
Hejná, M., Ackerman, L. M., & Wallenberg, J. (2020) · Scopus (Elsevier) · doi:10.25405/ncl.34356234
Sex differences in trust and trustworthinessPreprint
van den Akker, O. R. (2018) · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints)
Research on Sex Selection Drugs: Haryana Paves the Way
Neogi, S. B. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-16-3318-8_3
A manless adultery: the story of Bassa as related in a Marcus Valerius Martialis’ epigram
Markantes, G. Κ., Stamou, M. I., Barouti, K., Georgakopoulou, D., Vasileiou, V., & Georgopoulos, N. A. (2021) · HORMONES · doi:10.1007/s42000-021-00310-5
Könens komparativa fördelar i revisionsprocessen
Sharma, A. D., Collin, S. Y., & Schischke, S. (2007)
Attention To People Like You: A Proposal Regarding Neuroendocrine Effects on Linguistic VariationPreprint
Ackerman, L. M., & Hejná, M. (2019) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/9xn5p
Sexual Dials (Not Switches) Theory: An Evolutionary Perspective on Sex and Gender Complexity
Schmitt, D. P. (2017) · Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture · doi:10.26613/esic/1.1.18
Gopalan, C., Niepoetter, P., Ogle, A., Medavaka, S., Olendorff, S. A., & Tucker, K. R. (2021) · Endocrinology&Metabolism International Journal · doi:10.15406/emij.2021.09.00309
(2021) · Mardaga eBooks · doi:10.3917/mard.balth.2021.01.0325
Rağbetli̇, M. Ç., Özalper, B., & Çakır, T. (2022) · Journal of Experimental and Clinical Medicine · doi:10.52142/omujecm.39.3.1
Testosterone: Digit Ratios (2D:4D)
Oxford, J. K., & Oxford, D. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_179-1
Seeley, A. L., Mora‐Plazas, M., Oliveros, H., Marín, C., & Villamor, E. (2023) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579423000470
Bisexuality in Females: Prenatal Estrogen-Testosterone Hypothesis
Wong, M. L., Simsarian, C., & Bongar, B. M. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_527-1
Psychological effects of testosterone
Huhtaniemi, I. T. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-13432-6.00001-0
Sexual orientation, gender identity, and LGBTQ+
Huhtaniemi, I. T. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-13432-6.00009-5
Human Sexuality from A to Z: Notation, Modelling, and ExplanationPreprint
Saint‐Mont, U. (2024) · Preprints.org · doi:10.20944/preprints202403.1379.v1
Investigating Effects of Steroid Hormones on Lateralization of Brain and Behavior
Beking, T., Geuze, R. H., & Groothuis, T. G. G. (2024) · Neuromethods · doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-4240-5_12
Lv, L., Jiang, C., Zhu, Y., Zhao, Y., Li, S. X., Lian, F., Ma, H., Shu, L., Yang, X., Gu, X., et al. (2026) · BMJ Paediatrics Open · doi:10.1136/bmjpo-2025-004277
Biological, Psychological, and Sociocultural Perspectives on Gender
Best, D. L., & Raymond, C. N. (2026) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/978-1-80686-693-920261002
Biology education and the development of gender identity in Tanzanian secondary schools
Masawe, F. P., & Mwila, P. M. (2025) · Journal of Educational and Management Studies · doi:10.54203/jems.2025.8
Metadata
- Authors
- Hines, M.
- Affiliations
- City, University of London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hines, Melissa
- ORCID
- Hines, Melissa
- Venue
- European Journal of Endocrinology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2006-11
- Volume
- 155
- Issue
- suppl_1
- Pages
- S115-S121
- ISSN
- 0804-4643 (ISSN-L)
- 1479-683X
- OpenAlex
- W2153701608
- Cited by
- 173
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD2454)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Keywords
- prenatal testosterone, sex differences, gender identity, sexual orientation, toy preferences, mental rotation, brain development, disorders of sex development, congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- MeSH terms
- Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital, Animals, Female, Humans, Macaca mulatta, Male, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Sexual Behavior, Sex Characteristics, Testosterone
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review