Effects of Androgen Receptor and

Testosterone on Partner Preference

Gerard P. Miller, Nicholas J. Hobbs, S. Marc Breedlove
Michigan State University, Psychology Department, Neuroscience Program
Introduction

Discussion

Schematic of Y-maze.
Arrows denote direction of
air flow.

Sex hormones such as testosterone (T) and its

metabolites can masculinize the brain1
Originally thought to act through estrogen receptors
(ER)
Recent evidence suggests T can directly via androgen
receptors (AR)2
During adulthood, T activates male sexual behavior,
including partner preference
Hypotheses; AR is necessary during development for
the sexual differentiation of partner preference behavior.
Furthermore, these hormones are necessary during
adulthood to activate partner
preference behavior.
Methods

Data/Results

16

Testosterone (nmol/L)

14

Acknowledgements
& References

12
10

8
6
4
2
0

10

+T
Male

10

10

B
+T
Female

*=p<0.
05

Fig 1 : Mean (+ SEM) testosterone levels of male and female

mice given T or blank capsule
Time in female arm - Time in male arm (sec.)

1. Subjects: we used male and female mice both

gonadectomized at 50-60 days of age and given a
blank or T capsule on day of surgery
2. Subjects underwent social exposure for three days
prior to preference test. Each day subjects were
exposed to a novel male and novel female
conspecific.
3. A few hours before testing, subjects were habituated
to maze while empty.
4. Subjects then underwent a 10 min partner preference
test 14 days after gonadectomy
-intact male at end of one arm and intact female
given estrogen capsule to ensure receptivity at end
of other arm
-tested during dark phase (red light) as mice are
nocturnal
-both habituation and preference test were video
recorded
5. Subject blood was collected for hormone analysis.
6. Videos scored on software to see where subject
spent time in maze (empty stem, male arm, female
arm, center).
-Key data is time spent in female arm minus time
spent in male arm

Data failed to support our hypotheses:

-Neither males nor females showed any
evidence of a partner preference.
-Animals show a similar partner
preference, independent of T levels.
High standard error
Will have second person score for reliability
Would sexually experienced subjects make a
difference?
Do blanks have enough T to activate male
behavior?

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

10
B

9
+T
Male

10

10

B
+T
Female

Fig. 4: Mean (+SEM) time in Y-maze spent investigating

female arm minus time spent investigating male arm

Supported by the Integrative Biology of Social

Behavior REU program (NSF DBI-1153888)
Supported by Breedlove lab through NIH grant
NS028421 and NSF Grant IOS0956831
1. Phoenix, C.H., Goy, R.W., Gerall, A.A. &
Young, W.C. (1959) Organizing Action of
prenatally administered testosterone
propionate on the tissues mediating mating
behavior in the femal guinea pig.
Endocrinology, 65, 369-382.
2. Bodo, C., Rissman, E.F., (2007) Androgen
receptor is essential for sexual differentiation
of responses to olfactory cues in mice