Women working in risky financial careers may have higher levels of the hormone testosterone than women who go into other fields, according to a University of Chicago and Northwestern University study.

Researchers measured the testosterone levels in saliva samples from about 500 MBA students at the university's Booth School of Business. The students were also asked to participate in a lab experiment to measure the relationship between risk and hormone levels.

The participants of the experiment played a computer game that evaluated their risk-aversion attitudes. They were asked a series of questions about choosing between a guaranteed monetary award or a risky lottery with a higher potential payout. Saliva samples were also taken before and after the test to measure testosterone levels.

The more risk-prone students chose the lottery option, and men typically showed less risk aversion and had higher testosterone levels than the women participants, the researchers said in a statement.