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Brain Health in Transgender Adults

28 mei 2026 bijgewerkt door: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Cerebral Blood Flow and Neurocognitive Performance in Adults Undergoing Gender-affirming Hormone Therapy

The purpose of this study is to test whether and how a person's brain changes in the first few months after starting gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). The investigators want to know if GAHT changes: 1) cerebral blood flow (CBF), 2) brain structure, connectivity, and cognitive task performance, and 3) neurocognitive function (memory, attention, executive function, processing speed). 36 male at birth and 36 female at birth participants will conduct baseline studies prior to GAHT, with a second identical set of study visits 4-6 months after GAHT begins.

Studie Overzicht

Toestand

Werving

Conditie

Interventie / Behandeling

Gedetailleerde beschrijving

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of GAHT on cerebral structure and function. To this end, this study has three aims:

Aim 1: To identify if transgender males and females demonstrate changes in

  • A) basal CBF and
  • B) CBF responses to acute stress-particularly in areas involved in cognition, memory, and learning.

Aim 2: To identify if transgender adults will demonstrate significant changes in:

  • A) overall brain structure,
  • B) functional connectivity, and
  • C) task activation.

Aim 3: To identify if neurocognitive function changes in transgender adults.

The investigators hypothesize that:

  • Aim 1: Transgender females will demonstrate increased basal CBF and larger CBF responses to acute stress, particularly in areas involved in cognition, memory, and learning, whereas transgender males will display lower basal CBF and lower CBF responses to acute stress.
  • Aim 2: Transgender patients will demonstrate significant changes in: a) overall brain structure, b) functional connectivity, and c) task activation.
  • Aim 3: Neurocognitive function will increase in transgender females and decreases in transgender males, primarily in the domains of memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed.

Studietype

Observationeel

Inschrijving (Geschat)

72

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studiecontact

  • Naam: Shawn Bolin, MS
  • Telefoonnummer: 608-263-6308
  • E-mail: sbolin@wisc.edu

Studie Locaties

  • Verenigde Staten
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, Verenigde Staten, 53792
        • Werving
        • UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

  • Volwassen

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Ja

Bemonsteringsmethode

Niet-waarschijnlijkheidssteekproef

Studie Bevolking

Adults (18-45 years) undergoing gender affirming hormone therapy with their clinical health care team.

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria:

  • intention to undergo GAHT

Exclusion Criteria:

  • BMI greater than 40 kg/m2
  • Age greater than 45 yrs
  • Blood pressure greater than 140/90 (stage II hypertension)
  • A current diagnosis of type II diabetes
  • History of traumatic brain injury/concussion, stroke, or seizures
  • Are post-menopausal
  • Previously taken hormone therapy medications
  • Self-reported pregnancy (no pregnancy test)

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

Cohorten en interventies

Groep / Cohort
Interventie / Behandeling
Male at birth undergoing GAHT with their Clinical Care Team
Apparaat: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Two MRI visits (baseline and after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT) will involve structural scans of the brain, scans while performing cognitive tasks, and a scan taken while responding to an inhaled CO2 stressor. This visit will take approximately 1.5 hours.
Andere namen:
  • MRI
Ander: Cognition and Health Tests
Two cognition and health test trials (baseline and after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT) will involve a body composition scan to determine body fat percentage, muscle mass, and bone density. This will be followed by a set of cognitive tasks using the NIH Toolbox.
Ander: Optional Exercise Test
Optional graded exercise test will be performed if the participant consents to this optional procedure (baseline and after 4-6months of continuous GAHT). to determine cardiorespiratory fitness. This test will be performed on a cycle ergometer, with a metabolic allowing for the measurement of maximal oxygen consumption via indirect calorimetry.
Female at birth undergoing GAHT with their Clinical Care Team
Apparaat: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Two MRI visits (baseline and after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT) will involve structural scans of the brain, scans while performing cognitive tasks, and a scan taken while responding to an inhaled CO2 stressor. This visit will take approximately 1.5 hours.
Andere namen:
  • MRI
Ander: Cognition and Health Tests
Two cognition and health test trials (baseline and after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT) will involve a body composition scan to determine body fat percentage, muscle mass, and bone density. This will be followed by a set of cognitive tasks using the NIH Toolbox.
Ander: Optional Exercise Test
Optional graded exercise test will be performed if the participant consents to this optional procedure (baseline and after 4-6months of continuous GAHT). to determine cardiorespiratory fitness. This test will be performed on a cycle ergometer, with a metabolic allowing for the measurement of maximal oxygen consumption via indirect calorimetry.

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Change Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF)
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
CBF at rest and in response to cognitive stressors.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Brain Structure
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Grey matter and White matter volumes.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Brain Connectivity
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Measured using MRI.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Cognitive Function: Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
NIH Toolbox to assess neurocognitive function. The Flanker test is a measure of executive function and is scored using a T-score where 100 is the average, higher scores indicate better performance.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Cognitive Function: Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
NIH Toolbox to assess neurocognitive function. The Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test measures how many correct responses the participant has within 90 seconds. There is a maximum of 130 items.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Cognitive Function: List Sorting Working Memory Test
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
NIH Toolbox to assess neurocognitive function. The List Sorting Working Memory Test is a measure of recall and sorting. Participants scores reflect the number of items recalled and appropriately sorted up to 28 items maximum.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Cognitive Function: Dimensional Change Card Sort Test
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
NIH Toolbox to assess neurocognitive function. The Dimensional Change Card Sort Test measures accuracy: the number of accurate responses, up to a maximum of 40.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Cognitive Function: Picture Vocabulary Test
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
NIH Toolbox to assess neurocognitive function. The Picture Vocabulary Test has the participant hear a word and then pick from one of four pictures that best represents the word. It is scored using a T-score where 100 is the average, higher scores indicate better performance.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Change Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF)
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Changes in CBF in response to inhaled mixture of room air and CO2
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Changes in sex steroid concentrations
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Body Composition
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Blood Glucose
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Glucose is a marker of metabolic health
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Insulin
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Insulin is a marker of metabolic health.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Change in Cytokines
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Cytokines are a marker of inflammation.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
Optional Graded Exercise Test: VO2 Max
Tijdsspanne: baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)
An optional graded exercise test will be performed to determine cardiorespiratory fitness. This test will be performed on a cycle ergometer, with a metabolic allowing for the measurement of maximal oxygen consumption via indirect calorimetry. This will be a ramped exercise test, starting at a wattage of 50W and increasing in difficulty by 1 watt every 2 seconds. The purpose of this is to begin at a low intensity and gradually increase the difficulty until exhaustion is reached.
baseline and up to 6 months (after 4-6 months of continuous GAHT)

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Onderzoekers

  • Hoofdonderzoeker: William Schrage, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Werkelijk)

14 oktober 2025

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

1 april 2028

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

1 april 2028

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

28 mei 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

28 mei 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

3 juni 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

3 juni 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

28 mei 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 mei 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Trefwoorden

Aanvullende relevante MeSH-voorwaarden

Andere studie-ID-nummers

  • 2024-1861
  • Protocol Version 1/12/26 (Andere identificatie: UW Madison)
  • SOE/Kinesiology (Andere identificatie: UW Madison)

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

Bent u van plan om gegevens van individuele deelnemers (IPD) te delen?

NEE

Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

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