Dumic M, Lin-Su K, Leibel NI, Ciglar S, Vinci G, Lasan R, Nimkarn S, Wilson JD, McElreavey K, New MI.
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Rebro, Zagreb, Croatia 41000.

Erratum in: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Mar;93(3):1083.

CONTEXT: We report herein a remarkable family in which the mother of a woman with 46,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis was found to have a 46,XY karyotype in peripheral lymphocytes, mosaicism in cultured skin fibroblasts (80% 46,XY and 20% 45,X) and a predominantly 46,XY karyotype in the ovary (93% 46,XY and 6% 45,X).

PATIENTS: A 46,XY mother who developed as a normal woman underwent spontaneous puberty, reached menarche, menstruated regularly, experienced two unassisted pregnancies, and gave birth to a 46,XY daughter with complete gonadal dysgenesis.

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Baba T, Endo T, Honnma H, Kitajima Y, Hayashi T, Ikeda H, Masumori N, Kamiya H, Moriwaka O, Saito T.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. tbaba@sapmed.ac.jp

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to understand the relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), altered hormonal characteristics and insulin resistance in female-to-male (FTM) transsexual patients. METHODS: We studied 69 Japanese FTM cases, aged 17-47 years, who were seen in the Gender Identity Disorder Clinic of Sapporo Medical University Hospital between December 2003 and May 2006. The subjects had never received hormonal treatment or sex re-assignment surgery. Prior to treatment, they received physical examinations entailing measurement of anthropometric, metabolic and endocrine parameters, after which we compared the values obtained according to the presence or absence of PCOS and/or obesity. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

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Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab DF.

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Transsexuality is an individual’s unshakable conviction of belonging to the opposite sex, resulting in a request for sex-reassignment surgery. We have shown previously that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTc) is female in size and neuron number in male-to-female transsexual people. In the present study we investigated the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus, which is composed of two subnuclei, namely interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH) 3 and 4. Post-mortem brain material was used from 42 subjects: 14 control males, 11 control females, 11 male-to-female transsexual people, 1 female-to-male transsexual subject and 5 non-transsexual subjects who were castrated because of prostate cancer. To identify and delineate the nuclei and determine their volume and shape we used three different stainings throughout the nuclei in every 15th section, i.e. thionin, neuropeptide Y and synaptophysin, using an image analysis system.

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Luders E, Sánchez FJ, Gaser C, Toga AW, Narr KL, Hamilton LS, Vilain E. Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine

Gender identity-one’s sense of being a man or a woman-is a fundamental perception experienced by all individuals that extends beyond biological sex. Yet, what contributes to our sense of gender remains uncertain. Since individuals who identify as transsexual report strong feelings of being the opposite sex and a belief that their sexual characteristics do not reflect their true gender, they constitute an invaluable model to understand the biological underpinnings of gender identity. We analyzed MRI data of 24 male-to-female (MTF) transsexuals not yet treated with cross-sex hormones in order to determine whether gray matter volumes in MTF transsexuals more closely resemble people who share their biological sex (30 control men), or people who share their gender identity (30 control women). Results revealed that regional gray matter variation in MTF transsexuals is more similar to the pattern found in men than in women. However, MTF transsexuals show a significantly larger volume of regional gray matter in the right putamen compared to men. These findings provide new evidence that transsexualism is associated with distinct cerebral pattern, which supports the assumption that brain anatomy plays a role in gender identity.

Source: PubMed

The Egyptian Medical Syndicate (EMS) organized a new oversight committee, which it mentioned to be constituted of “Top Doctors and Consultants” for the control of “sex change operations”.

Dr. Ahmad Imam, General Manager of the Medical Association, said that the association decided organizing the committee so that it could be consented before “sex change operations” take place.
Imam warned the doctors not to conduct such operations without first consulting with the committee that the association formed, so that the violating doctors not be subjected to legal proceedings. He explained that the committee includes a fine selection of professors and consultants in the specialties of genetics, “masculinity diseases”, psychology, neurology, general surgery and a member of the Egyptian Islamic Legislation Authority.

Dr. Saeed Sayyed, Rapporteur of the Media Committee of the Medical Association, said that the doctor violating the association’s decision in this matter will be transfered to a “disciplinary committee” to be investigated, and this committee will determine his punishment according to the magnitude of the problem.
Sayyed points that the association saw violations occurring due to “scientific reasons”, such as not determining the chromosomes of the patient and whether they were “compatible” with his external appearance, explaining that “it might be the psychological state that is in control of the patient to change his sex”.

By: Mohamed Abdul-Khaleq Musahel
Source (Arabic): Al-Masry Al-Youm Newspaper

It’s worth noting that the Egyptian Medical Association has long banned the sex reassignment (or gender confirmation) surgery for transsexuals, especially after the infamous case of Dr. Ezzat Ashamallah’s operation on Sally Mursi more than 20 years ago, with allegations such as it being a “crime against nature and God’s will to change his creation”.

As a result, we have written a lengthy petition (on 1st of February) aimed mainly at the EMS and a few other local NGOs including the National Council for Human Rights, and still await any official response from the EMS.

The transcript of our letter (in Arabic) can be found on the Arabic version of our site.

The researchers focused on three genes

Australian researchers have identified a significant link between a gene involved in testosterone action and male-to-female transsexualism.

DNA analysis from 112 male-to-female transsexual volunteers showed they were more likely to have a longer version of the androgen receptor gene.

The genetic difference may cause weaker testosterone signals, the team reported in Biological Psychiatry.

However, other genes are also likely to play a part, they stressed.

Increasingly, biological factors are being implicated in gender identity.

There is a social stigma that transsexualism is simply a lifestyle choice, however our findings support a biological basis of how gender identity develops.
– Professor Vincent Harley, researcher

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By Liau Y-Sing

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – When Khartini Slamah first came out as a transsexual, he was a dutiful Muslim son by day and a prostitute by night, working on the streets of the Malaysian capital.

The option of sex change surgery was out of the question in this moderate Muslim country where Muslim transsexuals are banned from changing their gender and same sex relationships are a criminal offence.

“I tried to find a job but because of my sexuality I was turned down,” said the 44-year-old former prostitute who now works as an activist and counselor to other transsexuals.

Twenty years later, sex change surgery may be routine in some countries but it’s still banned by law in Malaysia — at least for Muslims. The ruling doesn’t apply to non-Muslims who make up about half of the estimated 30,000 transsexuals in Malaysia.

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