Behavioral differences between male and female rats: effects of gonadal hormones on learning and memory.

The organizational, activational and reorganizational effects of gonadal hormones have been extensively investigated with respect to sexual, aggressive and maternal behavior. It has thus been established that manipulations of gonadal hormones during critical periods in development functionally affect reproductive behavior. The effects of gonadal hormones on nonreproductive behavior are not immediately obvious because of the fact that the behavioral effects of gonadal hormones on learning and memory have been investigated in a large number of unrelated experimental procedures. The present paper provides an organized overview of these different experimental procedures, summarizes the most important findings and discusses some of the variables which determine the effects of manipulations in gonadal hormones on learning and memory in male and female rats.