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Original Article

Androgene verändern die Hirnantworten auf sexuelle Stimuli bei Frau-zu-Mann-Transsexuellen: eine fMRT Studie

An fMRI study

Published Online:May 28, 2018https://doi.org/10.1024/1016-264X/a000219

Abstract

Abstract. Interpersonal and intrapersonal differences in brain responses to sexual stimuli have been linked with individuals’ testosterone levels. However, it remains unclear how hormones modulate brain functions underlying sexual arousal. In order to assess the effects of chronic hormonal treatment, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging in a group of female-to-male transsexuals before and during androgen therapy while they watched a set of pictures representing dressed or nude (erotic content) men or women (sex information). A broad network of cortical and subcortical regions were activated during the processing of erotic stimuli (nude vs. dressed), including the insula, amygdala, and hypothalamus. The insula activity in response to erotic male stimuli decreased over the initial 4 months of hormonal therapy. In the following 8 months, the insula response to erotic female stimuli increased. In other words, long-term androgen administration makes the brain more “male” by reducing the sexual arousal caused by male stimuli and amplifying that caused by female stimuli.


Androgene verändern die Hirnantworten auf sexuelle Stimuli bei Frau-zu-Mann-Transsexuellen: eine fMRT Studie

Zusammenfassung. Interpersonelle und intrapersonelle Unterschiede in der neuralen Reaktion auf sexuelle Stimuli sind mit dem individuellen Testosteron-Spiegel in Verbindung gebracht worden. Um die Effekte einer chronischen Hormonbehandlung zu erfassen, haben wir in dieser Studie Frau-zu-Mann-Transsexuelle vor und während einer Androgentherapie untersucht, die erotische und nicht erotische Bilder im fMRT betrachteten. Ein weit verteiltes Netzwerk von kortikalen und subkortikalen Regionen einschließlich Insel, Amygdala und Hypothalamus wurde während der Verarbeitung von erotischer Information (unbekleidet/bekleidet) aktiviert. Die neurale Antwort auf erotische männliche Stimuli nahm infolge der Hormontherapie ab, die auf weibliche Stimuli hingegen zu. Somit macht eine Langzeithormontherapie mit Testosteron „männlicher“, indem die Antwort auf männliche Stimuli erhöht und auf weibliche Stimuli erniedrigt wird.

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