#321 Dick Swaab: The Neuroscience of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
RECORDED ON FEBRUARY 3rd, 2020.
Dr. Dick Swaab is an internationally renowned researcher in neuroscience, who received numerous awards and published over 540 scientific papers. He earned his medical and doctoral degrees at the University of Amsterdam and served as director of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience for 27 years. In 1985, Professor Swaab founded the Netherlands Brain Bank, which supplies the international research community with clinical and neuropathological brain tissue. Dr. Swaab is Emeritus Professor at the University of Amsterdam and Professor at Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China since 2007. His major research interest focusses on brain development, sexual differentiation, Alzheimer’s disease, the neurobiological basis of depression and eating disorders. In 2008, professor Swaab received the Academy medal for his significant role in national and international neuroscience. He is the author of the two volume monograph The Human Hypothalamus, which appeared in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology series, and of the Dutch bestseller We are our Brains, which is translated in German, Chinese and Italian.
In this episode, we focus on the development of gender identity and sexual orientation. First, we talk about sexually dimorphic areas in the human brain, animal models, and the factors behind their development. We then focus on the already identified areas of the brain associated with gender identity and sexual orientation. We talk about the “mosaic” hypothesis of the human brain, and also about gender dysphoria, and how we can better help trans people.
Time Links:
Are there any well-established sexually dimorphic areas in the human brain?
The factors and stages of development where these areas develop
Are gender identity and sexual orientation innate?
Sexual differentiation in the genitals is independent from what happens in the brain
Sex hormones behind sexual differentiation
What can we learn from intersex conditions?
Areas of the brain associated with gender identity and sexual orientation
The variability in gender identity and sexual orientation
About gender dysphoria
Is there a typical male and female brain? And the “mosaic” hypothesis.
Can children correctly identify their gender identity?
How to properly deal with trans children
Can we help trans people by learning more about brain sexual differentiation?
Why are there more male-to-female than female-to-male transsexuals?
Follow Dr. Swaab’s work!
Follow Dr. Swaab’s work:
Swaab Group: http://bit.ly/2sqfcyt
Publications on PudMed: http://bit.ly/391RE2F
ResearchGate profile: http://bit.ly/2RQLdu5
We Are Our Brains: From the Womb to Alzheimer’s: https://amzn.to/31nAOsM
Our Creative Brains: https://amzn.to/2ScMev7