One factor may be stress, which seems to reduce levels of sex steroids.

Apart from inherent genetic susceptibility, several animal models suggest a role for sex steroids.

These chemicals are not biologically active until puberty when the sex steroids influence their activity.

Note: This study involved only male subjects, which may be significant as sex steroids may have different effects in the responses to cortisol administration.

In some cases, substances other than sex steroids may also disrupt normal sexual development.

Role of growth hormone and sex steroids in achieving and maintaining normal bone mass.

This difference in the relative amounts of these sex steroids is largely responsible for the physiological differences that distinguish men from women.

By cutting down the level of sex steroids, sexual desire is diminished.

Research suggests that exposure to sex steroids during early development is partially responsible for these differences in the brain.

The sex steroids do have important other functions.