Publications by authors named "P A Handschuh"
MAO-A catalyzes the oxidative degradation of monoamines and is thus implicated in sex-specific neuroplastic processes that influence gray matter (GM) density (GMD) and microstructure (GMM). Given the exact monitoring of plasma hormone levels and sex steroid intake, transgender individuals undergoing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GHT) represent a valuable cohort to potentially investigate sex steroid-induced changes of GM and concomitant MAO-A density. Here, we investigated the effects of GHT over a median time period of 4.
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- Functional PET (fPET) is a new technique for examining brain metabolism and neurotransmitter activity, typically requiring invasive blood sampling to measure arterial input function (AIF).
- This study developed a non-invasive method using cardiac IDIF from twenty healthy individuals, validating its accuracy against traditional methods through blood sampling while participants engaged in a monetary incentive delay task.
- Results showed a strong correlation between the new IDIF method and AIF, demonstrating that this non-invasive approach provides reliable quantification of brain activity changes, making fPET more accessible in clinical settings.
Self-reported sexual orientation of transgender individuals occasionally changes over transition. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we tested the hypothesis that neural and behavioral patterns of sexual arousal in transgender individuals would shift from the assigned to the experienced gender (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Among its pleiotropic properties, gender-affirming hormone therapy (GHT) affects regional brain volumes. The hypothalamus, which regulates neuroendocrine function and associated emotional and cognitive processes, is an intuitive target for probing GHT effects. We sought to assess changes to hypothalamus and hypothalamic subunit volumes after GHT, thereby honouring the region's anatomical and functional heterogeneity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe influence of sex steroid treatment on insular connectivity in gender dysphoria.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
September 2023
Background: Sex-specific differences in brain connectivity were found in various neuroimaging studies, though little is known about sex steroid effects on insular functioning. Based on well-characterized sex differences in emotion regulation, interoception and higher-level cognition, gender-dysphoric individuals receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy represent an interesting cohort to investigate how sex hormones might influence insular connectivity and related brain functions.
Methods: To analyze the potential effect of sex steroids on insular connectivity at rest, 11 transgender women, 14 transgender men, 20 cisgender women, and 11 cisgender men were recruited.