The Neuromodulatory Effects of Sex Hormones on Functional Cerebral Asymmetries and Cognitive Control

Nearly 20 years ago, Hausmann and Güntürkün (2000a, 2000b) published a review article in the Journal of Neuropsychology/Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie on the influences of sex hormones on functional cerebral asymmetries (FCAs). They further presented a neuroendocrinological model (Hausmann & Güntürkün, 2000c) that could potentially explain how sex hormones modulate FCAs. Their model proposed that high levels of progesterone reduce the synaptic efficiency of cortico-cortical transmission, leading to a reduction of FCAs. However, empirical data testing their hypothesis directly were missing. Using various approaches, we have now gathered behavioral, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging data that partly support the original idea, while also pointing toward estradiol-modulating FCAs. The current review provides an update on this fascinating topic and briefly explores clinical applications.