Neonatal androstenedione and adult sexual behavior in golden hamsters

Male rats castrated and given androstenedione neonatally can show high levels of both masculine and femine copulatory behavior in adulthood. In the present study, intact female and male hamsters castrated at birth were treated for their first 20 days with oil, free testosterone, or androstenedione. All neonatal androgen treatments mimicked the naturally occurring developmental process of the male in that all androgenized groups were capable of high levels of male behavior (males but not females showing ejaculation patterns) as well as moderate levels of lordotic receptivity. There were no significant differences in effect among neonatal androgen treatments. The results were discussed as they relate to species differences, sex differences, hamster "bisexuality," and posthormone copulatory performance.