1
|
Morssinkhof MWL, Zwager A, van der Tuuk K, den Heijer M, van der Werf YD, Stenvers DJ, Broekman BFP. Chronotype changes after sex hormone use: A prospective cohort study in transgender users of gender-affirming hormones. Chronobiol Int 2024; 41:658-668. [PMID: 38616311 PMCID: PMC11132553 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2024.2339989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Chronotype, an individual's preferred sleep-wake timing, is influenced by sex and age. Men sometimes report a later chronotype than women and older age is associated with earlier chronotype. The sex-related changes in chronotype coincide with puberty and menopause. However, the effects of sex hormones on human chronotype remain unclear. To examine the impact of 3 months of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) on chronotype in transgender persons, this study used data from 93 participants from the prospective RESTED cohort, including 49 transmasculine (TM) participants starting testosterone and 44 transfeminine (TF) participants starting estrogens and antiandrogens. Midpoint of sleep and sleep duration were measured using the ultra-short Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (µMCTQ). After 3 months of GAHT, TM participants' midpoint of sleep increased by 24 minutes (95% CI: 3 to 45), whereas TF participants' midpoint of sleep decreased by 21 minutes (95% CI: -38 to -4). Total sleep duration did not change significantly in either group. This study provides the first prospective assessment of sex hormone use and chronotype in transgender persons, showing that GAHT can change chronotype in line with cisgender sex differences. These findings provide a basis for future studies on biological mechanisms and clinical consequences of chronotype changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margot W. L. Morssinkhof
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychiatry, OLVG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annefleur Zwager
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karin van der Tuuk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin den Heijer
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ysbrand D. van der Werf
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Compulsivity Impulsivity and Attention, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk Jan Stenvers
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam,Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Birit F. P. Broekman
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychiatry, OLVG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health Program, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Androgen receptor gene and sociosexuality. Does fighting ability moderate the effect of genetics in reproductive strategies? CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-04139-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
|
3
|
Rodríguez-Nieto G, Dewitte M, Sack AT, Schuhmann T. Individual Differences in Testosterone and Self-Control Predict Compulsive Sexual Behavior Proneness in Young Males. Front Psychol 2021; 12:723449. [PMID: 34925132 PMCID: PMC8677662 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.723449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to control sexual urges and impulses is essential to achieve individual and social harmony. Failing to regulate sexual behavior can lead to the interference with daily life goals, sexual diseases transmission and moral violations, among others. The dual control model of sexual response proposes that an imbalance between sexual excitation and sexual inhibition mechanisms may lead to sexual dysregulation, thereby explaining problematic sexual behavior. Interindividual differences in self-control and testosterone levels are likely to modulate sexual regulation mechanisms, but these individual features have scarcely been studied in the context of compulsive sexual behavior. This study investigated the role of sexual excitation and inhibition, self-control and testosterone levels in predicting individuals' proneness to display compulsive sexual behavior. Seventy healthy young males provided a saliva sample for testosterone measurements and filled in questionnaires on self-control, sexual excitation, sexual inhibition, sexual compulsivity and sexual behavior. High testosterone levels and low self-control were associated with higher sexual compulsivity scores. Additionally, testosterone levels and sexual inhibition negatively predicted the frequency of sexual behavior with a partner. The results of our study highlight the joint role of psychological traits and testosterone levels in compulsive sexual behavior proneness, providing implications regarding the prevention and treatment of this condition in young males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Marieke Dewitte
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Alexander T. Sack
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Teresa Schuhmann
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Androgens and offending behavior: Evidence based on multiple self-reported measures of prenatal and general testosterone exposure. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
5
|
Costa RM, Oliveira G, Pestana J, Costa D, Oliveira RF. Do Psychosocial Factors Moderate the Relation between Testosterone and Female Sexual Desire? The Role of Interoception, Alexithymia, Defense Mechanisms, and Relationship Status. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-018-0102-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
6
|
Kurath J, Mata R. Individual differences in risk taking and endogeneous levels of testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol: A systematic literature search and three independent meta-analyses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 90:428-446. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
7
|
Zander J, Faßl C, Randler C. Does a change in sleep timing increase testosterone in young adult men? BIOL RHYTHM RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2018.1440767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Zander
- Department of Biology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Corina Faßl
- Department of Biology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Randler
- Department of Biology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Endendijk JJ, Hallers-Haalboom ET, Groeneveld MG, van Berkel SR, van der Pol LD, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Mesman J. Diurnal testosterone variability is differentially associated with parenting quality in mothers and fathers. Horm Behav 2016; 80:68-75. [PMID: 26850837 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies on the relation between testosterone (T) levels and parenting have found ample evidence for the challenge hypothesis, demonstrating that high T levels inhibit parental involvement and that becoming a parent is related to a decrease in T levels in both mothers and fathers. However, less is known about the relation between T levels and more qualitative aspects of parenting. In the current study we examined basal T levels and diurnal variability in T levels in relation to mothers' and fathers' parenting quality. Participants included 217 fathers and 124 mothers with two children (3 and 5years of age). Evening and morning salivary T samples were analyzed with radio-immunoassays to determine circulating T levels. Parental sensitivity (i.e., child-centered responsiveness) and respect for children's autonomy were observed during free play in the family home. The results showed that higher evening T levels in mothers were associated with more sensitivity to the oldest and youngest child. Diurnal T variability was more consistently associated with parenting behavior towards their children than basal T levels. For fathers, more diurnal variability in T was associated with more sensitivity and more respect for autonomy with their youngest children. For mothers, more diurnal variability in T was associated with less sensitivity to both children and less respect for the youngest child's autonomy. These findings suggest that the T system might act differently in relation to parenting behavior in males and females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce J Endendijk
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Judi Mesman
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Does personality moderate the link between women’s testosterone and relationship status? The role of extraversion and sensation seeking. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
|
10
|
|
11
|
Farrelly D, Owens R, Elliott HR, Walden HR, Wetherell MA. The Effects of Being in a “New Relationship” on Levels of Testosterone in Men. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 13:147470491501300116. [PMCID: PMC10480995 DOI: 10.1177/147470491501300116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In light of previous research showing that different types of relationships affect levels of testosterone in men, this study examined whether categorizing relationship types according to relationship length can shed further light on variations in levels of testosterone. Salivary testosterone samples were obtained from a sample of men and details about their relationship status, sociosexual orientation, extra-pair sexual interest, and their perceptions of their relationships were recorded. Using a median split analysis, participants who indicated that they had been in their relationship for less than 12 months were categorized as being in “new relationships” and those in longer relationships being categorized as in long-term relationships. Results showed that levels of testosterone of single men and men in new relationships did not differ, but both had significantly greater levels of testosterone than men in long-term relationships. Differences in levels of testosterone were unrelated to sociosexual orientation and extra-pair sexual interest. These findings support the evolutionary explanation of levels of testosterone in men varying in accordance with their internal motivation to seek new potential mates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Farrelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK; Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK
| | - Rebecca Owens
- Department of Psychology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK
| | | | - Hannah R. Walden
- Biomedical and Biomolecular Research Centre, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pollet TV, Cobey KD, van der Meij L. Testosterone levels are negatively associated with fatherhood [corrected] in males, but positively related to offspring count in fathers. PLoS One 2013; 8:e60018. [PMID: 23573228 PMCID: PMC3616053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in testosterone (T) is thought to affect the allocation of effort between reproductive and parenting strategies. Here, using a large sample of elderly American men (n = 754) and women (n = 669) we examined the relationship between T and self-reported parenthood, as well as the relationship between T and number of reported children. Results supported previous findings from the literature, showing that fathers had lower T levels than men who report no children. Furthermore, we found that among fathers T levels were positively associated with the number of children a man reports close to the end of his lifespan. Results were maintained when controlling for a number of relevant factors such as time of T sampling, participant age, educational attainment, BMI, marital status and reported number of sex partners. In contrast, T was not associated with either motherhood or the number of children women had, suggesting that, at least in this sample, T does not influence the allocation of effort between reproductive and parenting strategies among women. Findings from this study contribute to the growing body of literature suggesting that, among men, pair bonding and paternal care are associated with lower T levels, while searching and acquiring sex partners is associated with higher T levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas V Pollet
- Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Barrett ES, Tran V, Thurston S, Jasienska G, Furberg AS, Ellison PT, Thune I. Marriage and motherhood are associated with lower testosterone concentrations in women. Horm Behav 2013; 63:72-9. [PMID: 23123222 PMCID: PMC3540120 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2012] [Revised: 10/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone has been hypothesized to modulate the trade-off between mating and parenting effort in males. Indeed, evidence from humans and other pair-bonded species suggests that fathers and men in committed relationships have lower testosterone levels than single men and men with no children. To date, only one published study has examined testosterone in relation to motherhood, finding that mothers of young children have lower testosterone than non-mothers. Here, we examine this question in 195 reproductive-age Norwegian women. Testosterone was measured in morning serum samples taken during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, and marital and maternal status were assessed by questionnaire. Mothers of young children (age ≤3) had 14% lower testosterone than childless women and 19% lower testosterone than women who only had children over age 3. Among mothers, age of the youngest child strongly predicted testosterone levels. There was a trend towards lower testosterone among married women compared to unmarried women. All analyses controlled for body mass index (BMI), age, type of testosterone assay, and time of serum sample collection. This is the first study to look at testosterone concentrations in relation to marriage and motherhood in Western women, and it suggests that testosterone may differ with marital and maternal status in women, providing further corroboration of previous findings in both sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Barrett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Randler C, Ebenhöh N, Fischer A, Höchel S, Schroff C, Stoll JC, Vollmer C. Chronotype but not sleep length is related to salivary testosterone in young adult men. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:1740-4. [PMID: 22425131 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2011] [Revised: 02/14/2012] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Sex hormones, including testosterone, are hypothesized to have an influence on the human circadian system. We sampled male students in the period after adolescence. We used the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) to assess chronotype and saliva testosterone sampling in 106 University students (23.87±3.56 years; range 19-37) between 26.4.2011 and 6.5.2011, always between 0800h and 0900h. There was a significant negative relationship between CSM scores and saliva testosterone (r(s)=-0.220, p=0.023, two-tailed test) but not between testosterone and average sleep length. Age and testosterone did not correlate with each other nor did age and CSM scores. Our data suggest that chronotype in men might be influenced by testosterone and that high testosterone levels lead to a stronger evening-orientation. Sleep duration was uncorrelated with testosterone, suggesting that timing of sleep - rather than sleep length itself - is influenced by testosterone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Randler
- University of Education Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 561-2, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Perini T, Ditzen B, Hengartner M, Ehlert U. Sensation seeking in fathers: the impact on testosterone and paternal investment. Horm Behav 2012; 61:191-5. [PMID: 22198307 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 12/07/2011] [Accepted: 12/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Paternal care is associated with a reduced likelihood of engaging in competitive or mating behavior and an increased likelihood of providing protection when necessary. Over recent years, there has been increasing evidence to assume that the steroid testosterone (T) in men might reflect the degree of mating effort. In line with this, decreased T levels were shown in fathers compared to non-fathers and it was suggested that paternal care, and most behavior positively associated with T, might be incompatible with each other. Independently, the personality trait sensation seeking (SS) has been related to mating behavior and also to elevated T in men. Aiming to integrate these different lines of research in a longitudinal approach, we explored the impact of SS on T levels in the context of the transition to fatherhood. Thirty-seven fathers and 38 men without children but in committed, romantic relationships (controls) were recruited. At two time points (for fathers: four weeks prior to (t1) and eight weeks after birth (t2)), all subjects repeatedly collected saliva samples for T measurement, filled in a protocol of activities during the course of these days and completed an online questionnaire. In line with our hypotheses, the results show significantly lower aggregated (AUC-T) T levels in fathers compared with non-fathers. Furthermore, moderation analyses revealed a significant interaction between group and SS at t2, with the lowest T levels in low SS fathers. These data suggest that adaptation processes of the transition to fatherhood are influenced by individual differences in personality traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Perini
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, CH-8044 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Pollet TV, van der Meij L, Cobey KD, Buunk AP. Testosterone levels and their associations with lifetime number of opposite sex partners and remarriage in a large sample of American elderly men and women. Horm Behav 2011; 60:72-7. [PMID: 21420411 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2010] [Revised: 03/04/2011] [Accepted: 03/10/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) has been argued to modulate mating and parenting behavior in many species, including humans. The role of T for these behaviors has been framed as the challenge hypothesis. Following this hypothesis, T should be positively associated with the number of opposite sex partners a male has. Indeed research in humans has shown that T is positively related to the number of opposite sex partners a young man has had. Here we test, in both men and women, whether this relationship extends to the lifetime number of sex partners. We also explored whether or not T was associated with current marital status, partnership status and whether or not the participant remarried. Using a large sample of elderly men and women (each sample n>700), we show that T is positively and sizably associated with the number of opposite sex partners in men. When controlling for potential confounding variables such as educational attainment, age, BMI, ethnicity, specific use of a medication and time of sampling this effect remained. For women, the relationship between T and number of opposite sex partners was positive but did not prove to be robust. In both men and women there was no evidence for an association between T and current marital status and partnership status (being in a relationship or not). However, remarriage was positively associated with T, but only in males. Results are discussed with reference to the literature on T and sex partners, remarriage and more broadly the challenge hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas V Pollet
- Department of Social Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kuzawa CW, Gettler LT, Muller MN, McDade TW, Feranil AB. Fatherhood, pairbonding and testosterone in the Philippines. Horm Behav 2009; 56:429-35. [PMID: 19651129 PMCID: PMC2855897 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2009] [Revised: 07/10/2009] [Accepted: 07/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In species with a high level of paternal care, including humans, testosterone (T) is believed to help mediate the trade-off between parenting and mating effort. This hypothesis is supported by the observation of lower T in pairbonded men or fathers compared to single, non-fathers; however, prior work has highlighted population variation in the association between T and pairbonding or fatherhood status. Here we evaluate this hypothesis in a large (n=890), representative birth cohort of young men (age range 20.5-22.5 years) living in Cebu City, the Philippines. Bioavailable T was measured in saliva collected prior to bed and immediately upon waking the following morning. Plasma T and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in morning plasma samples. In this sample, 20% of men were pairbonded, defined as living with a partner or married, 13% were fathers, and roughly half of fathers reported involvement in childcare. Pairbonded men had significantly lower T at both times of day. Unlike in other populations, this relationship was accounted for entirely by fatherhood status: among the large sub-sample of non-fathers, mean T was nearly identical among pairbonded and single men. There was a strong association between self-reported involvement in childcare and lower evening T, supporting the idea that the evening nadir in T is related to social interactions across the day. Similar relationships were found for total plasma T and LH, suggesting that these relationships are coordinated by centrally-mediated changes in LH secretion. The relatively modest T difference in relation to fatherhood at Cebu, in comparison to other studies, may reflect a lower level of paternal involvement in childcare activities in this population. Our findings using a large, well-characterized birth cohort support the hypothesized role of T as a mediator of mating and parenting effort in humans, while contributing evidence for cultural variation in the relative importance of pairbonding and fathering to these relationships.
Collapse
|
18
|
van Anders SM, Hamilton LD, Watson NV. Multiple partners are associated with higher testosterone in North American men and women. Horm Behav 2007; 51:454-9. [PMID: 17316638 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2006] [Revised: 01/04/2007] [Accepted: 01/06/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that being partnered is associated with lower testosterone (T) in men and women. To address how multiple partners may be associated with T, we examined 47 men and 48 women who were single, monoamorously partnered (partnered), polyamorous (having multiple committed relationships), or in a polyamorous lifestyle but not currently multipartnered. Men who were partnered had lower T than all other men, and polyamorous men had higher T than single men. Polyamorous women had higher T than all other women. Measures of sociosexual orientation (SOI) and sexual desire differed in women by relationship type, but not in men. Findings are interpreted in light of 'competitive' and 'bond-maintenance' relationship orientations and statuses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sari M van Anders
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby BC, Canada V5A 1S6.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sakaguchi K, Oki M, Honma S, Uehara H, Hasegawa T. The lower salivary testosterone levels among unmarried and married sexually active men. J ETHOL 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-006-0014-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
|