The atypical brain development of transsexuals

[Butterfly]

The atypical brain development of transsexuals
NRC Handelsblad
By Dick Swaab
April 3, 2009


http://weblogs3.nrc.nl/swaab/2009/04/03/the-atypical-brain-development-of-transsexuals/


All of the data indicate that gender problems develop in the womb. Small changes have been found in genes involved in the effect of hormones on brain development, which increase the chance of transsexuality developing. Abnormal hormone levels in the fetus in the womb and medicines that the mother takes during pregnancy that disturb the breakdown of sex hormones can increase the chance of transsexuality developing.

Sexual differentiation of our genitalia occurs in the first few months of pregnancy while sexual differentiation of the brain takes place in the second half of pregnancy. As these two processes occur at different times, it is theorised that in transsexuality these processes are influenced independently of each other. If that hypothesis is true, then we would expect female structures in the male brains of M2F transsexuals and vice versa in F2M transsexuals.

[NicholeW.]

A simple read and full of the analysis of a scientist who's worked on the bio-medical aspects of TS for 20 years.

If you follow the blog back to it's beginning you'll see that Swaab doesn't just discuss transsexuality although one of his initial posts http://weblogs3.nrc.nl/swaab/2008/10/24/the-womb-not-society-determines-gender-related-behaviour/#more-3 was also about gendering being largely a matter of fetal brain formation rather than solely a matter of some fetish, desire to be a certain way, etc.

Leslie, thanks so very much for finding this set of blogs.

[imaz]

Glad to know we aren't "simply psychotic'!

Whatever the reasons may or may not be it still saddens a part of me when these issues are referred to as "gender problems".

Society still has a long way to go.

[Hazumu]

Zoe Brain
comments on the article (worth a look)

=K