Testosterone is undoubtedly the most prolific hormone in human physiogonomy, nothing else does what it does.
In the newest issue of Pyschology Today, it was noted that during early development, testosterone tells the body how to develop in a well, masculine manner.
Other than just the skeletal system, this includes brain development researchers argue–which is why men and women have different types of brains (i.e. men have more non-functional white matter while women have more functional gray matter).
Due to this researcher Baron-Cohen, among other neuroscientists have come to the conclusion that Autism can be caused by high levels of testosterone in the womb.
Their reasoning, which can be found in “The Essential Difference: The Truth About the Male and Female Brain” is based off of studies which show baby boys who had had excess pre-natal levels of testosterone made less eye contact and knew fewer words by in the first one to two years of infancy. They also cited the belief among neuroscientists that testosterone influences a deccellerartion of growth of the left brain (that which controls logic) and an acceleration of the right brain’s (that which is creative) growth.
To quote the author of the study Baron-Cohen “Maybe testosterone does more than affect spatial ability and language. Maybe it also affects social ability.”
Note: autism is ten times more likely to occur in males than females–until now, there has been no real explanation for this.
Much of this is new information which has yet to stand the test of time. But if true it could go a long way toward finding a cure/treatment for autism.
I’m not trying to force this down anyone’s throat (or into their heads, for that matter), or even saying I believe it, but it is yet another interesting point about our favorite hormone.