Transsexualism: A Different Viewpoint to Brain Changes

Transsexualism refers to a condition or belief which results in gender dysphoria in individuals and makes them insist that their biological gender is different from their psychological and experienced gender. Although the etiology of gender dysphoria (or transsexualism) is still unknown, different neuroimaging studies show that structural and functional changes of the brain result from this sexual incongruence. The question here is whether these reported changes form part of the etiology of transsexualism or themselves result from transsexualism culture, behaviors and lifestyle. Responding to this question can be more precise by consideration of cultural neuroscience concepts, particularly the culture–behavior–brain (CBB) loop model and the interactions between behavior, culture and brain. In this article, we first review the studies on the brain of transgender people and then we will discuss the validity of this claim based on the CBB loop model. In summary, transgender individuals experience change in lifestyle, context of beliefs and concepts and, as a result, their culture and behaviors. Given the close relationship and interaction between culture, behavior and brain, the individual's brain adapts itself to the new condition (culture) and concepts and starts to alter its function and structure.

Culture: by the brain and in the brain? / Cultura: pelo cérebro ou no cérebro?

Abstract Since the 1990s, several disciplines have emerged at the interface between neuroscience and the social and human sciences. For the most part, they aim at capturing the commonalities that underlay the heterogeneity of human behaviors and experiences. Neuroanthropology and cultural neuroscience, or the “neurodisciplines of culture,” appear different, since their goal is to understand specificity rather than commonality and to address how cultural differences are inscribed in the brain. After offering an overview of these disciplines, and of their relation to endeavors such as cultural psychology and social neuroscience, this article discusses some of the most representative studies in the area in order to explore in which ways they are relevant for an understanding of culture.

Resumo Desde a década de 1990, várias disciplinas surgiram na interface entre neurociência e as ciências sociais e humanas. A maior parte delas procura capturar as semelhanças subjacentes à heterogeneidade de comportamentos e experiências humanas. Neuroantropologia e neurociência cultural, ou as “neurodisciplinas da cultura”, parecem à primeira vista diferentes, uma vez que seus objetivos são compreender as especificidades em vez das semelhanças e abordar como as diferenças culturais são inscritas no cérebro. Depois de oferecer uma visão geral dessas disciplinas e de sua relação com áreas como a psicologia cultural e a neurociência social, este artigo discute alguns dos estudos mais representativos na área, a fim de explorar de que forma são relevantes para a compreensão da cultura.