Influence of gonadal steroids on cortical surface area in infancy. (25th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alex, Ann Mary; Ruvio, Tom; Xia, Kai; Jha, Shaili C; Girault, Jessica B; Wang, Li; Li, Gang; Shen, Dinggang; Cornea, Emil; Styner, Martin A; Gilmore, John H; Knickmeyer, Rebecca C
• Is Part Of: Cerebral cortex. Volume 32:Number 15(2022)
• Page Start: 3206
• Page End: 3223
• Publication Date: 2021-12-25
• Subjects: cortical surface area -- digit ratio -- neuroimaging -- PRS -- testosterone; Cerebral cortex -- Periodicals; Brain -- Periodicals; 612.825
• DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab410
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1047-3211

Abstract

Abstract: Sex differences in the human brain emerge as early as mid-gestation and have been linked to sex hormones, particularly testosterone. Here, we analyzed the influence of markers of early sex hormone exposure (polygenic risk score (PRS) for testosterone, salivary testosterone, number of CAG repeats, digit ratios, and PRS for estradiol) on the growth pattern of cortical surface area in a longitudinal cohort of 722 infants. We found PRS for testosterone and right-hand digit ratio to be significantly associated with surface area, but only in females. PRS for testosterone at the most stringent P value threshold was positively associated with surface area development over time. Higher right-hand digit ratio, which is indicative of low prenatal testosterone levels, was negatively related to surface area in females. The current work suggests that variation in testosterone levels during both the prenatal and postnatal period may contribute to cortical surface area development in female infants.