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The transsexualism syndrome: clinical
aspects and therapeutic prospects
Gallarda T, Amado I, Coussinoux S,
Poirier MF, Cordier B, Olie JP.
Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Sante
Mentale,
Cabanis, Paris.
Abstract [Full Text] [PDF]
Abstract [Article in French]
The prevalence rate of transsexualism varies
from 1 to 50,000, to 1 to 100,000. Although it remains an infrequent
affliction, transsexualism generates usually major suffering and may be
responsible of many complications like suicide, self-mutilations, affective
disorders and social disabilities. Since the first descriptions of Esquirol
in the nineteenth, the medical community has always been questioned on
medical, legal, social or ethical aspects of transsexualism. The aetiology
of the trouble is still unknown.
In the absence of biological marker, the
syndrome of transsexualism can be defined only with clinical criteria. The
main differential diagnosis are sexual ambiguities and psychotic disorders.
For the specialists, satisfying the patients demand of a surgical and social
reassignment still remains the only way to improve their clinical condition
and avoid the onset of many dramatic complications. Without any treatment,
the evolution of the trouble is chronic, without remission.
Longitudinal studies of transsexual
patients with a five year follow-up demonstrated subjective improvement in
two thirds of the patients and don't find either higher rates of suicides
nor psychotic decompensations after surgery and hormonotherapy. Clinical and
neuropsychological studies of sexually differentiated cognitive abilities of
transsexual patients, before and after hormonotherapy, could allow us in
improving the understanding of sexual differences of the brain.
Citation:
Encephale 1997 Sep-Oct;23(5):321-6 an article
published on the Internet by PubMed <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/>
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