Androsteroneetiocholanolone Ratios in Male Homosexuals

Abstract

SummaryAnalyses of 24-hour specimens of urine from healthy adult males for androsterone and etiocholanolone produced values which, when calculated as discrinant scores, discriminated between heterosexual and exclusively homosexual individuals. This confirms a previous study.No significant differences were found between heterosexuals and homosexuals in parental ages, secondary sex characteristics, genitalia, anthropometry, 17-ketosteroids, and 17-ketogenic steroids.A significant difference was found between the heterosexual group and homosexual group in the number of homosexual relatives in the immediate and extended families. IntroductionIn the past few years the concept of a biological basis for homosexual behaviour has been reconsidered as a consequence of more precise investigative techniques. A previous study by Margolese (1970) showed that healthy adult males excreted androsterone and etiocholanolone in ratios that clearly discriminated between heterosexual and homosexual subjects. This was followed by a study by Lorraine (1970) who found low urinary testosterone in two homosexual males and raised urinary itestosterone in four homosexual females. The idea that changes in endocrine function might contribute to the genesis of homosexuality in humans was then given further impetus by Kolodny et al. (1971) who showed that plasma testosterone levels of a homosexual group were significantly lower than those of a control group. When investiga-ting several biochemical parameters Evans (1972) found that homosexuals had a lower androsterone/

Steroid Metabolites Support Evidence of Autism as a Spectrum

“…Interestingly, in the 1970s there were some thoughts that the ratios of androsterone and etiocholanolone discriminated between heterosexual and exclusively homosexual individuals, clearly indicating that androsterone and etiocholanolone lead to a new sexual phenotype [47]. Looking at enzyme activities, especially 11-beta dehydrogenase (11-beta HSD), there was a striking difference in the ratio of (THF + 5aTHF)/THE between both Asperger syndrome (21.5) and Kanner’s syndrome (19.7) groups and their matched controls (2.8 and 1.3, respectively) (Table 2).…”

Is There a Dysregulation of Backdoor Pathway of Androgen Synthesis in Autistic Disorders?

“…It is currently accepted that steroid profile changes prenatal to postnatal and androgen biosynthesis during minipuberty favors the backdoor pathway over the classic pathway with several pathologic associations (21-Hydroxylase Deficiency, Fragile-X-Syndrome or an altered sexual development. [16,20,21,22,23,24,25] Despite limited by a relatively small sample size especially for girls a significant increase for boys but not girls of the two androgens Androsterone and Eticholanolone during puberty persists. The increased androgens during this sensitive period of development might additionally promote autistic regression.…”

“…[19] The backdoor pathway provides a (more) efficient route to DHT. [20] It was indicated that backdoor pathways plays an important role in human hyperandrogenic disorders such as 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency, Fragile-X-Syndrome or an altered sexual development [20,21,22,23,24,25] but also in physiological states such as mini puberty. [20,26,27,28] O'Shaugnessy could show, that the main androgen of the backdoor pathway is Androsterone (A).…”

“…[20,28,29,30] In consequence, A/E ratios indicative for backdoor pathway were several times used as indicators for the mentioned pathologic states and associations with autism exist. [20,21,22,23,24,25,26,31,32,33] We therefore suggested that a dysregulation of backdoor pathway (normally mainly active during mini puberty in the first year of life) might persist in autistic individuals up to puberty yielding to altered androgen production through activation of this respective pathway. [16,17] We suggested a dysregulation and stated as hypothesis with potential falsification, that there is no difference of A/E ratios respectively activity of backdoor pathway in affected autistic pubertal children compared to healthy controls.…”

Hormones and sexual behaviour

“…The varied and conflicting results have more or less cancelled each other out, and have revealed methodological naiveties reminiscent of early biochemical studies of schizophrenia. Two studies both reported an abnormal ratio of androsterone to etiocholanolone in the urine (both breakdown products of testosterone) but the relevance of such a finding remains obscure (Margolese & Janiger, 1973;Evans, 1972). The most sophisticated approach has been the search for the typically female positive feedback response of the hypothalamus to oestrogen provocation, as a possible indicator of incomplete masculinization of the male homosexual's brain.…”