Article on transsexuality inNew Scientist

hare05

Kind of in a rush here...

"Transsexual differences caught on brain scan"

22nd January issue
Page 11

I'll find a link to it later when I have time.

littlehedgehog

Nooooo! My annual subscription was up 2 weeks ago!! Now I've to pay MONIES to read this!

For those of you who are registered - http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927962.800-transsexual-differences-caught-on-brain-scan.html

hare05

Guess i'll paraphrase a bit:

Male brains have more white matter in specific areas than female brains.

Studies show ftm transsexuals who have NOT undergone any masculinization have male levels of white matter.
Mtf transsexuals who have not undergone feminization have white matter levels about halfway between male and female.

White matter levels continue to fluctuate up until about age 30, so late onset of symptoms is scientifically feasible.

Possible uses of this info: gender testing at birth to identify potential trans people. This also lends weight to the argument for delaying puberty / hrt at younger ages.

DISCUSS!

Freiheit

I personally don't there's anywhere near enough information to draw any conclusions from existing,very limited studies of the brain.

What for instance is this white matter responsible for?..what is it's role?

I've nothing against brain theories,but just don't feel the information is there to make informed judgment...

You know I don't feel any correlation between various brains is at all necessary, nobody requires justification to be themselves.

deirdre_dub

hare05 wrote: »

Possible uses of this info: gender testing at birth to identify potential trans people.

Another possible use - an excuse for some scientists to research ways of "curing" transsexualism by trying to control/change white matter levels.

LegacyUser

Freiheit wrote: »

I personally don't there's anywhere near enough information to draw any conclusions from existing,very limited studies of the brain.

What for instance is this white matter responsible for?..what is it's role?

I've nothing against brain theories,but just don't feel the information is there to make informed judgment...

You know I don't feel any correlation between various brains is at all necessary, nobody requires justification to be themselves.

True on all points. But now we have a correlation between transsexuality and white matter levels, further studies can be funded into the use of white matter in these areas. It's scientific progress in motion.

I can definitely understand your fears Deirdre, but I like to remain optimistic either way.

wonderfulname

Don't have the money to get it at the moment, you couldn't name the study from the article could you? Might be able to have a look at it through college.