The effects of exogenous testosterone on spatial memory in rats

Abstract: Testosterone (T) is known to affect spatial abilities in men and women. Studies focusing on this relationship showed that both endogenous variability of T and administration of exogenous T, altered mental rotation and spatial visualization. Organizational and activational effects of T can be separately identified. The aim of our study was to evaluate the activational effects of exogenous T on spatial memory in male and female rats. T was administered 3 times a week over a two week period in either 1 mg/kg for low testosterone group or 10 mg/kg for high testosterone group. The Morris water maze was performed to assess the rat’s working and reference spatial memory. T and estradiol levels were measured in plasma. Increase in plasma T levels was confirmed in the experimental groups in comparison to the control groups (receiving sterile oil, 3 times a week over a two week period). Low dose T impaired working, but improved reference memory in female rats. In male rats the negative effects of T (both doses) on reference memory were shown. This experiment showed that the activational effects of exogenous testosterone on spatial memory of rats were gender and dose-dependent.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: The effects of exogenous testosterone on spatial memory in rats ; volume:5 ; number:4 ; year:2010 ; pages:466-471 ; extent:6 ; Open life sciences ; 5, Heft 4 (2010), 466-471 (gesamt 6)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Hodosy, Július ; Páleš, Ján ; Ostatníková, Daniela ; Celec, Peter

Further information

• DOI: 10.2478/s11535-010-0037-x
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2409201840092.720204414267
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:37 AM CEST