Sex steroids and variants of gender identity

Abstract

This article summarizes for the practicing endocrinologist the current literature on the psychobiology of the development of gender identity and its variants in individuals with disorders of sex development (DSD) or with non-DSD transgenderism. Gender reassignment remains the treatment of choice for strong and persistent gender dysphoria in both categories, but more research is needed on the short-term and long-term effects of puberty-suppressing medications and cross-sex hormones on brain and behavior.

Keywords: Disorders of sex development; Gender assignment; Gender dysphoria; Gender identity; Sex steroids; Transgenderism.