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Regional grey matter structure differences between transsexuals and healthy controls--a voxel based morphometry study
Lajos Simon1, Lajos R Kozák2, Viktória Simon1
1Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Budapest, Hungary.
Plos One
|January 7, 2014
Summary
Brain structure differences are observed in transgender individuals compared to cisgender controls. These neuroanatomical variations in grey matter are linked to gender identity, not biological sex, supporting distinct brain patterns in transgender people.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Gender Identity Research
Background:
- Gender identity disorder (GID) involves incongruence between assigned biological gender and gender identity.
- Growing interest in neuroanatomy of transgender individuals to understand gender identity.
- Previous studies show inconclusive but distinct neuroanatomical patterns in transgenderism, with limited data on female-to-male (FTM) subjects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
- To compare brain structure in FTM and male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals with cisgender controls.
- To investigate neuroanatomical differences related to gender identity and biological sex.
Main Methods:
- Structural MRI scans were acquired from 17 transgender individuals (FTM and MTF) and 18 age-matched cisgender controls.
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed to analyze regional grey matter (GM) volume differences.
- Statistical comparisons were made between transgender subjects and control groups based on biological sex and gender identity.
Main Results:
- Transgender individuals showed distinct regional grey matter (GM) structure differences in the cerebellum, left angular gyrus, and left inferior parietal lobule compared to controls, irrespective of biological gender.
- In several brain areas, transgender subjects' GM volume aligned more closely with controls sharing their gender identity than with those sharing their biological gender.
- Significant differences were noted in precentral gyri, postcentral gyrus, posterior cingulate, precuneus, calcarine cortex, cuneus, and occipital and temporal gyri.
Conclusions:
- Structural brain differences exist between transgender and cisgender individuals.
- The majority of observed structural brain differences in transgender individuals are dependent on their gender identity, not their biological sex.
- Findings support the notion of distinct neuroanatomical patterns associated with gender identity.
