Androgens Increase Persistence But Do Not Affect Neophobia in a Problem-Solving Context in a Songbird.

Gonadal steroid hormones enhance cognitive performance, particularly spatial and vocal learning, in mammals and birds. However, it is unknown whether problem-solving ability is similarly regulated. We propose that androgens, such as testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone, play a role in mediating problem-solving behavior as well. As a test, male white-crowned sparrows ( Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) were either castrated and administered a blank (Blank-castrate) or testosterone-filled implant (T-castrate) or were sham operated and were exposed to a novel feeder, which they had to open to receive a food reward, in two trials. Testosterone treatment affected neither a neophobic response nor problem-solving performance. However, T-castrates were more persistent in manipulating the feeder than Blank-castrates or Shams. Furthermore, their persistence correlated positively with circulating levels of both testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone. We suggest that a positive correlation between sex steroids and persistence in foraging and problem-solving contexts may lead to an adaptive increase in resource acquisition in the breeding season. Given the overall low success on the problem-solving test, we cannot confidently conclude that androgens do not play a role in mediating problem-solving behavior. However, unlike in mammals, it seems these hormones do not significantly influence neophobia in foraging contexts in birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]