Breast development extension adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)), and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine (and by extension thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)) also play permissive but less well-understood/poorly-characterized roles in breast development during both puberty and pregnancy, and are required for full functional development. Leptin has also been found to be an important factor in mammary gland development, and has been found to promote mammary epithelial cell proliferation. In contrast to the female-associated sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, the male-associated sex hormones, the androgens, such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), powerfully suppress the action of estrogen in the breasts. At least one
Fraternal birth order and male sexual orientation not non-biological older brothers predicted sexual orientation in men. Further, if rearing or social factors underlie the fraternal birth order effect, then the amount of time reared with older brothers, either biological or non-biological, should predict sexual orientation because rearing time determines the relative opportunity that older brothers have to affect their younger sibling's (postnatal) sociosexual development. If a prenatal factor underlies the fraternal birth order effect, then a postnatal factor such as rearing time with older siblings (be they biological or non-biological) should have no impact on the sexual orientation of younger male siblings. The study found that the