There is a biological relation between brain physiology and gender identity
Extensive neuroimaging, genetic, and endocrinological research demonstrates a biological relation between brain physiology and gender identity, showing that transgender individuals often exhibit distinct brain phenotypes that differ from cisgender controls.
The retrieved literature consistently points to neurobiological, neuroimaging, and endocrinological correlates of gender identity. Large-scale mega-analyses (such as ENIGMA) and reviews confirm that brain structure and cortical phenotypes correlate with gender identity rather than sexual orientation or confounding factors alone, supporting the claim robustly.
Sharma Saksham, S. Deeksha, Bandaru Udithi, Garg Vinayaka. The neurobiology and neurocognition of gender dysphoria. 2023. https://doi.org/10.51582/interconf.19-20.12.2023.026
Neuroimaging and neurobiological studies show distinct brain structures, volumes, and activation patterns associated with gender identity and gender dysphoria.
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Malvina N. Skorska, Monika Folkierska-Żukowska, A. Rodkong, Pongpun Saokhieo, O. Parent, Daisy Z. Hu, Diana E. Peragine, Snimar Kaur, Lindsey T Thurston, Taweewat Supintham, Oranicha Kaewthip, K. Wantanajittikul, Gabriel A. Devenyi, M. Chakravarty, S. Chariyalertsak, Suwit Saekho, Doug P. VanderLaan. Cortical structure and brain size in Thai transfeminine individuals with and without gender-affirming hormone use compared with cisgender heterosexual men, heterosexual women, and gay men.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2026.07.051
Regional cortical thickness is associated with gender identity independently of sexual orientation, supporting a neurobiological basis.
Ai-Min Bao, Dick F Swaab. Sexual differentiation of the human brain: relation to gender identity, sexual orientation and neuropsychiatric disorders.. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2011.02.007
Early developmental processes, such as prenatal hormonal surges, program brain structures related to gender identity.
Dick F Swaab, Samantha E C Wolff, Ai-Min Bao. Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation.. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820683-6.00031-2
Genetic, hormonal, and postmortem hypothalamic evidence supports the neurobiological theory of gender identity and gender dysphoria.
Sven C Mueller, Antonio Guillamon, Leire Zubiaurre-Elorza, Carme Junque, Esther Gomez-Gil, Carme Uribe, Behzad S Khorashad, Behnaz Khazai, Ali Talaei, Ute Habel, Mikhail Votinov, Birgit Derntl, Rupert Lanzenberger, Rene Seiger, Georg S Kranz, Baudewijntje P C Kreukels, Peggy T Cohen Kettenis, Sarah M Burke, Nils B Lambalk, Dick J Veltman, Mathilde Kennis, Francisco J Sánchez, Eric Vilain, Alessandra Daphne Fisher, Mario Mascalchi, Gioele Gavazzi, Stefano Orsolini, Jiska Ristori, Udo Dannlowski, Dominik Grotegerd, Carsten Konrad, Maiko Abel Schneider, Guy T'Sjoen, Eileen Luders. The Neuroanatomy of Transgender Identity: Mega-Analytic Findings From the ENIGMA Transgender Persons Working Group.. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.03.079
Large-scale mega-analytic neuroimaging findings demonstrate unique brain phenotypes in transgender individuals compared to cisgender controls.
Baudewijntje P C Kreukels, Antonio Guillamon. Neuroimaging studies in people with gender incongruence.. 2016. https://doi.org/10.3109/09540261.2015.1113163
Neuroimaging reviews indicate that brain phenotypes in transgender people show distinct structural features differing from their natal sex.
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