Leiden University, The Netherlands.
Leiden University, The Netherlands.
Infant Behav Dev. 2019 Aug;56:101191. doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.08.002. Epub 2017 Aug 19.
Several studies have shown that mothers and fathers have significant lower levels of testosterone (T) than non-mothers and non-fathers, and that in men caregiving is related to a decrease in T. To date, only a few studies have examined T in women. We examined T reactivity to a crying infant simulator in 160 women. Use of oral contraceptives (OC), basal cortisol (CORT) levels and childhood experiences of maternal love withdrawal were taken into account. T levels were consistently significantly higher in women not using OC. In women not using OC, high basal CORT was related to higher initial T levels and larger decreases of T during caregiving. No effect of basal CORT was found in women with OC use. Childhood experiences of maternal love withdrawal did not affect T levels. This is the first study to show support for a decrease of T in women while taking care of a crying infant, supporting the Challenge hypothesis and the Steroid/Peptide Theory of Social Bonds.
已有多项研究表明，母亲和父亲的睾丸酮（T）水平显著低于非母亲和非父亲，且男性在照顾婴儿时 T 水平会下降。迄今为止，仅有少数研究检查了女性的 T 水平。我们对 160 名女性对婴儿哭声模拟器的 T 反应进行了研究。研究考虑了女性使用口服避孕药（OC）、基础皮质醇（CORT）水平和童年时母爱缺失的经历。不使用 OC 的女性 T 水平明显更高。在不使用 OC 的女性中，高基础 CORT 与初始 T 水平较高以及照顾婴儿时 T 水平下降较大有关。在使用 OC 的女性中未发现基础 CORT 的影响。童年时母爱缺失的经历不会影响 T 水平。这是第一项表明女性在照顾哭泣婴儿时 T 水平下降的研究，支持了挑战假说和类固醇/肽类社会联系理论。
