Neurobiology of gender identity and sexual orientation - PubMed

Review

Neurobiology of gender identity and sexual orientation

C E Roselli. J Neuroendocrinol. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Sexual identity and sexual orientation are independent components of a person's sexual identity. These dimensions are most often in harmony with each other and with an individual's genital sex, although not always. The present review discusses the relationship of sexual identity and sexual orientation to prenatal factors that act to shape the development of the brain and the expression of sexual behaviours in animals and humans. One major influence discussed relates to organisational effects that the early hormone environment exerts on both gender identity and sexual orientation. Evidence that gender identity and sexual orientation are masculinised by prenatal exposure to testosterone and feminised in it absence is drawn from basic research in animals, correlations of biometric indices of androgen exposure and studies of clinical conditions associated with disorders in sexual development. There are, however, important exceptions to this theory that have yet to be resolved. Family and twin studies indicate that genes play a role, although no specific candidate genes have been identified. Evidence that relates to the number of older brothers implicates maternal immune responses as a contributing factor for male sexual orientation. It remains speculative how these influences might relate to each other and interact with postnatal socialisation. Nonetheless, despite the many challenges to research in this area, existing empirical evidence makes it clear that there is a significant biological contribution to the development of an individual's sexual identity and sexual orientation.

Keywords: brain; foetal development; gender identity; homosexuality; hormones; sexual differentiation; sexual orientation; sexual partner preference; sexually dimorphic nucleus; transsexuality.

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

• Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation.

  Swaab DF, Wolff SEC, Bao AM. Swaab DF, et al. Handb Clin Neurol. 2021;181:427-443. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-820683-6.00031-2. Handb Clin Neurol. 2021. PMID: 34238476 Review.

• Recalled and current gender role behavior, gender identity and sexual orientation in adults with Disorders/Differences of Sex Development.

  Callens N, Van Kuyk M, van Kuppenveld JH, Drop SLS, Cohen-Kettenis PT, Dessens AB; Dutch Study Group on DSD. Callens N, et al. Horm Behav. 2016 Nov;86:8-20. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.08.008. Epub 2016 Aug 27. Horm Behav. 2016. PMID: 27576114

• Sexual differentiation of the human brain in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation.

  Savic I, Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab DF. Savic I, et al. Prog Brain Res. 2010;186:41-62. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53630-3.00004-X. Prog Brain Res. 2010. PMID: 21094885 Review.

• Hormones and psychosexual differentiation: implications for the management of intersexuality, homosexuality and transsexuality.

  Meyer-Bahlburg HF. Meyer-Bahlburg HF. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1982 Nov;11(3):681-701. doi: 10.1016/s0300-595x(82)80007-8. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1982. PMID: 7139993

• Biological aspects of gender disorders.

  Corsello SM, Di Donna V, Senes P, Luotto V, Ricciato MP, Paragliola RM, Pontecorvi A. Corsello SM, et al. Minerva Endocrinol. 2011 Dec;36(4):325-39. Minerva Endocrinol. 2011. PMID: 22322655 Review.

Cited by

• Accurate machine learning prediction of sexual orientation based on brain morphology and intrinsic functional connectivity.

  Clemens B, Lefort-Besnard J, Ritter C, Smith E, Votinov M, Derntl B, Habel U, Bzdok D. Clemens B, et al. Cereb Cortex. 2023 Mar 21;33(7):4013-4025. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhac323. Cereb Cortex. 2023. PMID: 36104854 Free PMC article.

• Inter-Network Brain Functional Connectivity in Adolescents Assigned Female at Birth Who Experience Gender Dysphoria.

  Skorska MN, Lobaugh NJ, Lombardo MV, van Bruggen N, Chavez S, Thurston LT, Aitken M, Zucker KJ, Chakravarty MM, Lai MC, VanderLaan DP. Skorska MN, et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Jul 22;13:903058. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.903058. eCollection 2022. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022. PMID: 35937791 Free PMC article.

• Relationships of Sexual Orientation Microaggression with Anxiety and Depression among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Taiwanese Youth: Self-Identity Disturbance Mediates but Gender Does Not Moderate the Relationships.

  Chen JS, Huang YT, Lin CY, Yen CF, Griffiths MD, Pakpour AH. Chen JS, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 9;18(24):12981. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182412981. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021. PMID: 34948591 Free PMC article.

• About Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Thyroid Dysfunctions: Can Inherent Particulars of Same‑Sex Sexual Orientation Go Missing?

  Sabuncuoglu O. Sabuncuoglu O. Arch Sex Behav. 2023 Nov;52(8):3177-3179. doi: 10.1007/s10508-023-02696-2. Epub 2023 Sep 20. Arch Sex Behav. 2023. PMID: 37730919 No abstract available.

• Reduced Luteinizing Hormone Induction Following Estrogen and Progesterone Priming in Female-to-Male Transsexuals.

  Funabashi T, Sakakibara H, Hirahara F, Kimura F. Funabashi T, et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2018 May 7;9:212. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00212. eCollection 2018. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2018. PMID: 29867755 Free PMC article.

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Europe PubMed Central
  • Ovid Technologies, Inc.
  • PubMed Central
  • Wiley

• Other Literature Sources

  • scite Smart Citations