Published in Neuroimage, Mar 2009.
“We analyzed MRI data of 24 male-to-female (MTF) transsexuals not yet treated with cross-sex hormones in order to determine whether gray matter volumes in MTF transsexuals more closely resemble people who share their biological sex (30 control men), or people who share their gender identity (30 control women). Results revealed that regional gray matter variation in MTF transsexuals is more similar to the pattern found in men than in women. However, MTF transsexuals show a significantly larger volume of regional gray matter in the right putamen compared to men. These findings provide new evidence that transsexualism is associated with distinct cerebral pattern, which supports the assumption that brain anatomy plays a role in gender identity.”
Abstract from Neuroimage.
The mean age of the transsexual subjects was 47, with a standard deviation of 13 years and a range from 23-72.
In a previous positron emission tomography (PET) study, it was demonstrated that the left putamen in a sample of MTF transsexuals (n=12), who had no history of estrogen treatment, activated differently to odorous steroids when compared to control males (Berglund et al., 2008).
Wikipedia
The main function of the putamen is to regulate movements and influence various types of learning. It employs dopamine to perform its functions. The putamen also plays a role in degenerative neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
Zoe Brain has more from the report.
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