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Abstract:
Abstract: Sex differences in spatial abilities have been
reported in a multitude of tasks, ranging from pen and paper tests
to real world navigation. The magnitude of the sex differences is
most often small and not consistently observed across studies. One
result, however, reported by Astur, Ortiz and Sutherland (1998)
involving performance in a virtual Morris water task, is large and
robust. Adult males are more successful at navigating to a fixed
location using only the virtual distal cues. The authors suggest
that a cause of the sex difference could be differential effects of
sex hormones. An important question is whether the sex difference
depends upon organizational effects of hormones early in life or
activational effects beginning at puberty. Here, we report
confirmation of the sex difference found in adult subjects. We
measured navigation by males (N=8) and females (N=8) in a virtual
Morris water task and found that males are significantly faster and
more accurate in navigating to a fixed hidden location. Further, we
tested prepubescent males (N=8) and females (N=8) between 8-10
years old and found similar results. Males were significantly
faster and more accurate in virtual place learning. These results
support the idea that the sex difference in spatial place learning
is due to organizational effects of androgens early in life.
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