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Free keywords:
Transsexualism, Estradiiol, Sex Steroids, Testosterone, Brain-derived neurotropic factor, BDNF, Gender dysphoria, Brain morphology, Platelets
Abstract:
Brain morphology significantly differs between the sexes. It has been
shown before that some of these differences are attributable to the
sex-specific hormonal milieu. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
is involved in myriads of neuroplastic processes and shows a sexual
dimorphism. Transsexual persons may serve as a model to study sex
steroid-mediated effects on brain plasticity. We have recently
demonstrated that serum levels of BDNF are reduced in transwomen
following 12 months of cross-sex hormone treatment. We now wanted to
look at the effects of testosterone treatment on BDNF in transmen. In
contrast to our initial hypothesis, BDNF levels did not significantly
change, despite dramatic changes in the sex-hormonal milieu. Our data
indicate that testosterone does not seem to play a major role in the
regulation of BDNF in females.
