Androgens exacerbate motor asymmetry in male rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion

► Male sex and age are risk factors for dopamine cell loss in Parkinson's disease (PD). ► Androgens, major male sex hormone, may influence the vulnerability of dopamine cells. ► Symptoms of PD were modeled in GDX and gonadally intact male rats with 6-OHDA lesion. ► GDX decreased 6-OHDA induced motor asymmetry and oxidative stress generation. ► The data implicate that androgens underlie the gender bias observed in PD.