Evaluation of cognitive functions in homosexual men

Objective: Gender differences in certain cognitive functions are well known. Because women and men have different neural organizations, their skills such as information processing and problem solving are different. It is estimated that the development of the homosexual individuals is different from that of the heterosexual men from the prenatal period on; thus, it may be considered that they may also have some differences in their cognitive functions. This study aimed to determine whether there are differences in cognitive functions between homosexual and heterosexual men.

Methods: The study included 40 men aged 18-35 years, who defined themselves as homosexual and 40 men aged 18-34 years, who defined themselves as heterosexual. A personal questionnaire developed by our group and involved some sociodemographic data of subjects, Bem Sexual Role Inventory (BSRI), neuropsychological tests including Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Weschler Adult Intelligence Test-R (WAIS-R) Digit Span Subtest (6), and Stroop Test were applied in both groups in order to assess cognitive functions.

Results: When gay men were compared to heterosexual men, BSRI femininity and masculinity scores of gay men were significantly higher and lower than those of heterosexual men, respectively. In homosexual men, when the age and the duration of education were taken as covariates, a significant difference was detected in only one score (Total recall scores in RAVLT) of the neuropsychological tests assessing cognitive functions such as memory, attention and learning in comparison to heterosexual men.

Conclusion: Our findings do not support the hypotheses that gay men displayed cognitive functions of opposite sex.