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Sex Differentiation: Organizing Effects of Sex Hormones

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Gender Dysphoria and Disorders of Sex Development

Part of the book series: Focus on Sexuality Research ((FOSR))

Abstract

Men and women differ, not only in their anatomy but also in their behavior. Research using animal models has convincingly shown that sex differences in the brain and behavior are induced by sex hormones during a specific, hormone-sensitive period during early development. Thus, a male-typical brain is organized under the influence of testosterone, mostly acting during fetal development, whereas a female-typical brain is organized under the influence of estradiol, mostly acting after birth, during a specific prepubertal period. Sex differences in behavior reflect sex differences in the brain, mostly in the hypothalamus and the olfactory system, the latter being important in mate selection. There is also evidence, albeit clinical, for a role of testosterone in the sexual differentiation of the human brain, in particular in inducing male gender role behavior and heterosexual orientation. However, whether estradiol is involved in the development of a female brain in humans still needs to be elucidated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Avenue de l’hôpital B36, Liège, 4000, Belgium

    Julie Bakker Ph.D.

  2. Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Julie Bakker Ph.D.

  3. Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Julie Bakker Ph.D.

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  1. Julie Bakker Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Julie Bakker Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, ...., Amsterdam, 1007 MB, Netherlands

    Baudewijntje P.C. Kreukels

  2. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, Netherlands

    Thomas D. Steensma

  3. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Child and Adolescent Psych, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, Netherlands

    Annelou L.C. de Vries

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Bakker, J. (2014). Sex Differentiation: Organizing Effects of Sex Hormones. In: Kreukels, B., Steensma, T., de Vries, A. (eds) Gender Dysphoria and Disorders of Sex Development. Focus on Sexuality Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7441-8_1

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