Hippocampus

Study by Williams et al. (1990)

• Results:

  • males and androgenized females used primarily geometry to solve the task
  • females and feminized males used both geometry and landmarks in performing task

• Conclusions:

  • males use fewer cues (geometry) to solve the radial maze than females (geometry and landmark cues)
  • the need to learn fewer cues may explain why males acquire the task more quickly than females
  • enhanced spatial ability in males is promoted by perinatal exposure to gonadal steroids--1) castration of newborn males decreased rate of acquisition, and 2) administration of estrogen to newborn females within first 10 days of life increased rate of acquisition
  • after acquisition, no sex differences in performance were observed

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