The effect of dihydrotestosterone treatment on endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ may reflect the ligand dependant pathophysiology of SBMA and reproduces the gender specificity of the disease, i.e. severe symptoms usually only manifest in males as they have higher levels of the androgen receptor ligand, testosterone, than females (Katsuno et al., 2002, 2012). The gene discussed is AR; the disease is Kennedy disease.