Cognitive abilities in androgen-insensitive subjects: comparison with control males and females from the same kindred

Abstract

To determine the effect of androgen insensitivity on cognitive abilities, subjects with the syndrome of complete androgen insensitivity (AI) were compared to control males and females from the same kindred on the Spanish version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). All subjects had similar sociocultural backgrounds and only right-handed subjects were used in the primary analysis. This design was chosen to diminish the effect of critical variables on test performance, thereby highlighting the effect of androgen unresponsiveness on cognition. The results indicated that control males and females were superior to androgen insensitive subjects on the Perceptual Organization factor, which included five visuospatial subtests. Separate analysis of these subtests revealed that males performed significantly better than females on Block Design, Picture Completion, and Object Assembly, and better than androgen insensitive subjects on all five subtests. Females were superior to androgen insensitive subjects on four subtests (Block Design, Picture Completion, Digit Symbol, and Picture Arrangement). Despite the small sample size, when female siblings were compared to their AI sisters, they were also superior on these four visuospatial subtests. The difference between the Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Organization factors was greatest in androgen-insensitive subjects, while control males demonstrated the least difference. Females and AI subjects did not differ from one another on the Freedom from Distractibility factor nor on the subtests comprising it, but their performances were poorer than control males. None of the groups differed significantly on Full Scale IQ, Verbal IQ, the Verbal Comprehension factor, or any subtests included in this category.