testosterone and its effects on human development and behaviour
What testosterone is and how it affects human development and behaviour.
© Open University (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The discovery of cells was a revolution.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The nucleus, ribosomes, and mitochondria are all examples of organelles.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The cycle of infection results in the death of the host cell and the release of many virus particles, called virions.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Learn about the structure and movement of cilia and flagella.
News •
Low testosterone linked to 18% higher risk of dying from cancer
• Nov. 8, 2026, 4:40 AM ET (Science Daily)
Women often get cold more easily than men — a mouse study offers hints why
• Nov. 7, 2026, 11:00 AM ET (Live Science)
Testosterone shows no evidence of improving menopausal brain fog
• Oct. 30, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (News-Medical)
Men with lower testosterone at 31 reported good health 15 years later
• Oct. 27, 2026, 6:46 PM ET (News-Medical)
Men are using a button to track their testosterone at home. It's part of a booming new health market.
• Oct. 17, 2026, 5:00 AM ET (Business Insider)
Transcript
CLAIRE ROSTRON: Testosterone is a chemical substance known as a hormone, and it can have quite wide ranging effects through the body. And that's because it's released into the bloodstream and therefore it can go around the body in the blood circulation and affect a wide range of organs. Testosterone is made in males in lytic cells in the testes. There's also a small amount made in the ovaries in females. And in both sexes, it's made in the adrenal gland, which sits on top of the kidneys.
Now the release of testosterone is controlled by a group of structures called the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. And these include the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, and the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys. The release of testosterone generally occurs in two quite big surges in the body, and these happen at around seven weeks of fetal development and that's associated with the development of the male genitalia. And it happens again at around age 12 and that's associated with puberty.
So as well as those physical characteristics, the release of testosterone is also associated with a larger body build, increased muscle mass, and more bodily hair. But it's also associated with some interesting psychological characteristics as well. And these include greater aggression, more dominant behavior, but also really interesting behavior known as risk taking.
NARRATOR: Get more from The Open University. Check out the links on screen now.
Now the release of testosterone is controlled by a group of structures called the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. And these include the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, and the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys. The release of testosterone generally occurs in two quite big surges in the body, and these happen at around seven weeks of fetal development and that's associated with the development of the male genitalia. And it happens again at around age 12 and that's associated with puberty.
So as well as those physical characteristics, the release of testosterone is also associated with a larger body build, increased muscle mass, and more bodily hair. But it's also associated with some interesting psychological characteristics as well. And these include greater aggression, more dominant behavior, but also really interesting behavior known as risk taking.
NARRATOR: Get more from The Open University. Check out the links on screen now.
Last Modification: