Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK.
Front Neuroendocrinol. 2011 Apr;32(2):170-82. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2011.02.006. Epub 2011 Feb 17.
Both sexual orientation and sex-typical childhood behaviors, such as toy, playmate and activity preferences, show substantial sex differences, as well as substantial variability within each sex. In other species, behaviors that show sex differences are typically influenced by exposure to gonadal steroids, particularly testosterone and its metabolites, during early development (prenatally or neonatally). This article reviews the evidence regarding prenatal influences of gonadal steroids on human sexual orientation, as well as sex-typed childhood behaviors that predict subsequent sexual orientation. The evidence supports a role for prenatal testosterone exposure in the development of sex-typed interests in childhood, as well as in sexual orientation in later life, at least for some individuals. It appears, however, that other factors, in addition to hormones, play an important role in determining sexual orientation. These factors have not been well-characterized, but possibilities include direct genetic effects, and effects of maternal factors during pregnancy. Although a role for hormones during early development has been established, it also appears that there may be multiple pathways to a given sexual orientation outcome and some of these pathways may not involve hormones.
性取向和性别典型的儿童行为（如玩具、玩伴和活动偏好）都表现出显著的性别差异，以及每个性别内部的显著可变性。在其他物种中，表现出性别差异的行为通常受到早期发育（产前或新生儿期）中暴露于性腺类固醇（尤其是睾酮及其代谢物）的影响。本文综述了关于性腺类固醇对人类性取向的产前影响的证据，以及预测随后性取向的性别典型的儿童行为的证据。证据表明，产前睾酮暴露在儿童性别典型兴趣的发展以及以后生活中的性取向中起作用，至少对某些人是这样。然而，似乎还有除激素以外的其他因素在决定性取向方面起着重要作用。这些因素尚未得到很好的描述，但可能性包括直接的遗传效应，以及怀孕期间母体因素的影响。尽管已经确定了早期发育过程中激素的作用，但似乎也可能存在通往特定性取向结果的多种途径，其中一些途径可能不涉及激素。
