Scientists discover 'transsexual gene' that makes men feel like women

[bold9k]

Transsexual men who 'feel' female are likely to have an unusual version of a gene that affects the male sex hormone testosterone, a study has shown.
The discovery was made by scientists who examined DNA from 112 male-to-female transsexuals.





In many cases there was a longer version of a gene known to modify the action of testosterone.


The alteration may 'under-masculinise' the brain during its development in the womb, the researchers believe.


Study leader Dr Vincent Harley, from Prince Henry's Institute in Clayton, Australia, said:'There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice; however, our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops.

'As with all genetic association studies it will be important to replicate these findings in other populations.'

The findings are published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.


Professor Andrew Sinclair, from the University of Melbourne, said: 'This research suggests that extra long copies of the Androgen Receptor gene potentially affect testosterone function in the brains of male-to-female transsexuals.
'These defective copies of the AR gene could severely reduce normal testosterone levels, resulting in a more female-like brain. Consequently, male-to-female transsexuals might be expected to have a more feminised brain and are therefore likely to display a female gender identity.


'This supports the notion that transsexualism has a biological (genetic) basis rather than being due to psycho-social factors in early childhood.


'However, this finding does not explain all male-to-female transsexuals suggesting that multiple genetic factors are involved.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...#ixzz2ToHVqsNb
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[Shyla Wild]

Transsexual men who 'feel' female are likely to have an unusual version of a gene that affects the male sex hormone testosterone, a study has shown.
The discovery was made by scientists who examined DNA from 112 male-to-female transsexuals.





In many cases there was a longer version of a gene known to modify the action of testosterone.


The alteration may 'under-masculinise' the brain during its development in the womb, the researchers believe.


Study leader Dr Vincent Harley, from Prince Henry's Institute in Clayton, Australia, said:'There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice; however, our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops.

'As with all genetic association studies it will be important to replicate these findings in other populations.'

The findings are published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.


Professor Andrew Sinclair, from the University of Melbourne, said: 'This research suggests that extra long copies of the Androgen Receptor gene potentially affect testosterone function in the brains of male-to-female transsexuals.
'These defective copies of the AR gene could severely reduce normal testosterone levels, resulting in a more female-like brain. Consequently, male-to-female transsexuals might be expected to have a more feminised brain and are therefore likely to display a female gender identity.


'This supports the notion that transsexualism has a biological (genetic) basis rather than being due to psycho-social factors in early childhood.


'However, this finding does not explain all male-to-female transsexuals suggesting that multiple genetic factors are involved.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...#ixzz2ToHVqsNb
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Do you know where I could find the Medical Journal or the full results from this study?

[bold9k]

you can find them at the Biological Psychiatry Journal.

http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjourn...087-1/abstract

[Shyla Wild]

you can find them at the Biological Psychiatry Journal.

http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjourn...087-1/abstract

Absolutely AWESOME. Thank you so much. This is going to be a very interesting read.

[merelypink]

very very interesting

[toban]

This research could provide the answer to so many questions!

This sounds like a completely reasonable explanation for the currently unexplainable "why" of M2F transexualism.

Being too lazy to search and read that psychiatric abstract myself I trust that Shyla will follow through on her request for info about it and present her synopsis of that paper here for the edification of all forum members and more importantly, for the general public, who for the most part, remain completely baffled by the Trans community.

[Rantsalot]

...

I also read years ago that a smaller hypothalamus tended to cause "transexualism" and men to be gay. Nothing was found to be conclusive though. Then again after reading a plethora of medical journals in my university years I often found some laughable and some interesting as I wondered exactly what environment each study was performed in and that there of.

[Rockheart]

I don't have the gene but this Shania Twain song always does it for me.

[Shyla Wild]

This sounds like a completely reasonable explanation for the currently unexplainable "why" of M2F transexualism.

Being too lazy to search and read that psychiatric abstract myself I trust that Shyla will follow through on her request for info about it and present her synopsis of that paper here for the edification of all forum members and more importantly, for the general public, who for the most part, remain completely baffled by the Trans community.

I didn't say anything because it was going to be very edgy and make some people very uncomfortable what I am going to say. Also, what I am about to post is also going to go right over most people's heads. Here is what they looked at and afterwards what I am going to say may shock people. I had do do a bit a reading up on Genes and and other stuff that I barely understand.

What this studies is that the repeat lengths of the Androgen Receptor. This is used to study many diseases. Different lengths in different genes show us different things. For example a shorter CAG repeat length in the androgen receptor (AR) gene is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. This is associated with the AIB1/SRC-3 gene.

So in this study they look at the repeat rate for the CYP19 or ERβ genes on the AR receptor. CYP19 is aromatase, which is responsible for turning Testosterone into Estrogene. ERβ or Estrogene Receptor Beta, has antiproliferative effects. Meaning it inhibits cell growth. What they found is that transsexuals have a longer repeat rate in the AR. This occurs at even the cell reproduction level due to what I read about CYP19.

First, this makes sense. If aromatase is down, then less testosterone is in the body. Second, if development is hindered then we have to remember something. All fetuses are born neutral. Only after the SRY event will sex be decided. If the gene SRY is present, then the fetus will be male. Otherwise, without this all fetuses will automatically be female. Therefore, if a gene that hinders cell development is being effected and it has a direct relationship with another gene which controls testosterone levels it is very possible that it has an effect of the male brain and body.

Now. Here's the thing. The AR receptor and it's repeat lengths are used to study diseases. The way this is presented, Transsexualism is a disease. AND it gets worse or better. Many transsexuals always say that we had no choice but to transition. We always felt like women in boys bodies. But what if that was reversible? Gene therapy is very controversial, but if transsexuals have a longer repeat rate, then the solution is to quicken the repeat rate.

Not everyone wants to transition. Not everyone want to lives as a boy in misery either. In theory, this would give us a choice.

Wrap your heads around that. For my next trick, I'll map the human genome.

[toban]

Pheewww, I'm sure glad you tackled that Shyla!

I didn't say anything because it was going to be very edgy and make some people very uncomfortable what I am going to say. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Now. Here's the thing. The AR receptor and it's repeat lengths are used to study diseases. The way this is presented, Transsexualism is a disease. AND it gets worse or better. Many transsexuals always say that we had no choice but to transition. We always felt like women in boys bodies. But what if that was reversible? Gene therapy is very controversial, but if transsexuals have a longer repeat rate, then the solution is to quicken the repeat rate.

Not everyone wants to transition. Not everyone want to lives as a boy in misery either. In theory, this would give us a choice.

Wrap your heads around that. For my next trick, I'll map the human genome.

Thanks for digging into that mess Shyla. I believe that there is enough substance to this new theory that it may eventually be found very influential in explaining why some new "girls" feel the way they do about their bodies.

While I didn't try to read this report myself I have to wonder whether consideration of transsexualism as a disease is is going to create unnecessary concern. I believe it is important to consider the context in which the word "disease" is used. I suggest that in this case of unusual genetic content, "disease" would not have been used in a malevolent sense but would have been used to suggest an imperfection or an abnormal pathological situation - an unfortunate corruption of the "normal" genetic structure. Such abnormalities can occur on any part of any gene and when such corruptions occur they can also have very profound consequences on a beings (human or otherwise) development!

So, I would suggest that Transexualism itself should not be considered a disease but rather, the abnormal arrangement of the genetic materials on this particular gene is what should be called the "disease".

[dom r]

The alteration may 'under-masculinise' the brain during its development in the womb, the researchers believe.'There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice; however, our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops.'This research suggests that extra long copies of the Androgen Receptor gene potentially affect testosterone function in the brains of male-to-female transsexuals.These defective copies of the AR gene could severely reduce normal testosterone levels, resulting in a more female-like brain. Consequently, male-to-female transsexuals might be expected to have a more feminised brain and are therefore likely to display a female gender identity.This supports the notion that transsexualism has a biological (genetic) basis rather than being due to psycho-social factors in early childhood.

Sorry but these professors are wrong. New borns have identical brains with identical emotions,thoughts and needs. They havent learned how to think and act their gender yet. You act and think according to how you look. If you look mostly or all female you will start to think and act like girls due to influence,thats why transgenders become feminine.They certainly were not born to think that way the same way other genders were not. To prove this is so easy. When women become men, all of a sudden they act and think like a man due to their outer appearance. Before Adam and Eve met they both thought and acted the same like a neutral gender. When they met and interacted with each other was when their thought patterns started to change and sending their influence to the next borns.The Androgen Receptor gene that affect testosterone levels simply changes the physical appearance and growth of a male to female, it cannot change the MIND. Thats not possible.Its like saying that gene can make your mind learn the alphabet at birth, thats not possible either. Its influence when watching how other genders act and think, and parents make a good start to make sure their girl acts like a girl or boy like a boy. Yep, mothers are more affectionate and loving towards their little girls than their boys. Thats why boys get messed up and angry because they are in need of the same love and affection, not from their moms though.

[Shyla Wild]

Sorry but these professors are wrong. New borns have identical brains with identical emotions,thoughts and needs. They havent learned how to think and act their gender yet. You act and think according to how you look. If you look mostly or all female you will start to think and act like girls due to influence,thats why transgenders become feminine.They certainly were not born to think that way the same way other genders were not. To prove this is so easy. When women become men, all of a sudden they act and think like a man due to their outer appearance. Before Adam and Eve met they both thought and acted the same like a neutral gender. When they met and interacted with each other was when their thought patterns started to change and sending their influence to the next borns.The Androgen Receptor gene that affect testosterone levels simply changes the physical appearance and growth of a male to female, it cannot change the MIND. Thats not possible.Its like saying that gene can make your mind learn the alphabet at birth, thats not possible either. Its influence when watching how other genders act and think, and parents make a good start to make sure their girl acts like a girl or boy like a boy. Yep, mothers are more affectionate and loving towards their little girls than their boys. Thats why boys get messed up and angry because they are in need of the same love and affection, not from their moms though.

You are totally wrong. With society, our peers and our parents telling as since birth that we were boys, dressing us as boys, trying to make us act as boys, having schools tell us we are boys....forcing us to be boys....WE STILL WENT FEMALE!

It is in our genes....we are born this way. No one chooses to be transsexual. NO ONE. A person can chose to transition to help ease the pain of being male and FEELING out of place. But these feelings were already there, way before puberty, hormones, and any other surgery.

BTW: Just to prove how lost you are: The AR Receptor has nothing to do with testosterone levels. Among the things monitored by the hypothalamus is the level of various hormones in the blood. The hypothalamus has special cells which receive information from the body indicating how much of each hormone is present in the bloodstream. When these hormones drop below a particular level this stimulates the hypothalamus to release hormones. These hormones travel to the pituitary gland, acting as the signal to the pituitary to produce one or more of its hormones. The hormones produced by the pituitary are released into the bloodstream. The bloodstream transports the pituitary hormones to other endocrine glands, such as the thyroid gland.

[dom r]

You are totally wrong. With society, our peers and our parents telling as since birth that we were boys, dressing us as boys, trying to make us act as boys, having schools tell us we are boys....forcing us to be boys....WE STILL WENT FEMALE!It is in our genes....we are born this way. No one chooses to be transsexual. NO ONE. A person can chose to transition to help ease the pain of being male and FEELING out of place. But these feelings were already there, way before puberty, hormones, and any other surgery..

Yes being part or whole female in physical appearance is what changes the mind to act and think female by being influenced and observing other females and by observing your own appearance as well. Imagine if a masculine man was changed into a pretty woman by a magic potion(or hormones,face,breasts,hips injections) but with his same male brain, the second he(she) looks into a mirror is when his mind would start to change to think and act female because of her new appearance and voice of being a female. because thats how other girls act.

Although it is true even having no physical appearance of a female, a boy can learn to act feminine by choice and by influence. The hormones or chromosomes or a gene can only change the physical growth to that gender not the mind. If this was so then how do you explain all the other animal species where females and males act identicle, meaning for example a female cat doesn't act more feminine than a male cat. No one can tell the difference between male dogs and female dogs they act like a neutral gender(which humans can if they wanted to), female dogs are not more feminine than male dogs, male dogs are not more masculine than female dogs, they act the same, and this is also apparent with all other animals except for humanbeings, why?, because when women and men interact together through the many years or centuries the results of the conditoned gender mind becomes different compared to other animal species for various reasons, not because females are born to think differently than males, both genders are born with identicle brains that would remain identicle for a lifetime if each gender lived alone on an island without ever receiving influence.

If its more than just influence that changes a mind to think like their gender, maby it may also be having the body,face and voice of that gender including their sexual needs that changes how men and women act and think when interacting with each other. But certainly it cannot be a male or female hormone or gene that changes a mind to think like their gender, thats not possible, its influence and maby even their own body,face,voice and needs, hormones can only change the physical growth not mental. A man being strong,tall,muscular body with a deep voice needing intercourse for sex, a woman being weaker,shorter and pretty with a high pitched voice not needing intercourse for sex interacting on a planet together would eventually lead to women thinking like women, men thinking like men and both sending their influence.

[Shyla Wild]

No one can tell the difference between male dogs and female dogs, male cats and female cats, because they act the exact same, and this is also apparent with all other animals except for humanbeings, why?

You have got to be kidding me...No one can tell the difference? The animal genders act the same?

One question....are you blind? I am not going into detail here because I am going to show just one example:

Male Lion:


Female Lion or Lioness:


If you think they don't act differently, then you are as blind to the differences between the sexes in the animal kingdom as you must be to appearances. The Lioness hunts, not the Lion. Would you like to look at penguins instead? Or any other species on this planet. A simple one hour of your time watching any National Geographical show on any species and you will clearly see that there is always clearly defined differences between the sexes. Just because you are not informed or knowledgable on the subject, it is a little arrogant to assume that no one can tell the difference between the sexes in the animal kingdom. I'm not an expert but I can still spot things (like a male lion's mane) that identify male and female animals.

Google any animal you like, and you will find exactly the way to spot the differences between a male and female. You will also find that the gender in each species clearly has defined roles. These roles are instinctive, not learnt.

[dom r]

You have got to be kidding me...No one can tell the difference? The animal genders act the same?One question....are you blind? I am not going into detail here because I am going to show just one example:Male Lion:Female Lion or Lioness:If you think they don't act differently, then you are as blind to the differences between the sexes in the animal kingdom as you must be to appearances. The Lioness hunts, not the Lion. Would you like to look at penguins instead? Or any other species on this planet. A simple one hour of your time watching any National Geographical show on any species and you will clearly see that there is always clearly defined differences between the sexes. Just because you are not informed or knowledgable on the subject, it is a little arrogant to assume that no one can tell the difference between the sexes in the animal kingdom. I'm not an expert but I can still spot things (like a male lion's mane) that identify male and female animals.Google any animal you like, and you will find exactly the way to spot the differences between a male and female. You will also find that the gender in each species clearly has defined roles. These roles are instinctive, not learnt.

Sorry, i'm still correct in everything I said. When I said male cats act identicle to female cats, male dogs identicle to female dogs, what I was referring to was about the femininity and the masculinity. Female cats or female dogs do not act feminine, male dogs and male cats do not act masculine. Both genders of animals except for humans act the same as a neutral gender,not feminine and not masculine but in between, thats what I meant. But when men and women interact together when comparing the differences through the many centuries, women look pretty men look manly, women learn to become feminine in thought not by a hormone, by conditioning, same applies to men becoming masculine in thought and they pass that on as influence.

Do you know of any women who became men? I cant believe it myself how much some of those now men on tv who look 1000% like men with beards act and think like men, acting macho and masculine with low voices. they even changed the way they walked and walked exactly like men. They admitted they were so feminine as girls and used to walk like women but changed when they became men due to the having the appearance of a man.(but yes some of them also acted a bit manly before hormones since maby they already looked a bit manly anyways). Its not a hormone that mentally changed them, its their appearance of looking like a man that changed them mentally. The only thing the hormone has changed was their appearance. Sorry those scientists, professors and doctors are wrong.