Effects of suppressing gonadal hormones on response to novel objects in adolescent rats

► Adolescent male rats exhibited a stronger preference for novel objects than adolescent females. ► Suppressing gonadal hormones in adolescent males reduced preference for novel objects. ► Suppressing gonadal hormones in adolescent females did not affect response to novelty. ► The effect in males could result from interactions between testosterone and the dopamine system. ► The study has potential implications for understanding adolescent susceptibility to drug abuse.