Higher testosterone levels during adolescence are related to increased involvement of the brain’s anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) in emotion control, but the other effect occurs during maturity. In a study published in Developmental Science, researchers investigated this switch by conducting brain imaging scans in the identical individuals during middle adolescence, late adolescence, and young maturity.

The study, which included 71 participants, demonstrated that the positive effect of testosterone on aPFC engagement decreases from age 14 to age 17 after which shifts by age 20, when higher testosterone levels are linked with less aPFC activity. In contrast to adolescence, during young maturity, testosterone-;now not related to pubertal development-; may impede emotion control, as implemented by the aPFC.

The findings suggest that the function of testosterone changes inside individuals across adolescence and maturity. The study’s investigators note that many mood disorders are inclined to arise during adolescence, and extra research may reveal whether alterations within the interactions between testosterone and the brain could also be related to this.

Testosterone typically tends to be related to aggression or dominance behavior, whereas the truth is it has multifaceted roles across different developmental periods. The findings of the present study are necessary for understanding each typical and atypical maturational trajectories of the brain, in addition to considering the impact of external aspects (corresponding to stress) on brain function and development.”

Anna Tyborowska, PhD, Corresponding Creator, Radboud University, in The Netherlands