Salivary testosterone and creative musical behavior in adolescent males and females

In a longitudinal study, salivary testosterone levels were assessed in 3 subsequent years in adolescent boys and girls who had documented creative musical talent in their early teens. Decrease of creative musical behavior in adolescent boys was attributed, inter alia, to a testosterone increase exceeding a hypothesized optimal testosterone range for the expression of creative musical behavior. Left‐handers, especially left‐handed boys, were superior to righthanders on a test measuring musical talent. Testosterone levels did not differ between the handedness groups. Sex differences in salivary testosterone were not observed by a mean age of 13.5. Age was more important than mutation in boys and menarche in girls with respect to testosterone rises during puberty. Circadian rhythm in salivary testosterone levels was found in both sexes.