tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post1615815442596268098..comments2024-03-27T17:15:37.606-04:00Comments on Triablogue: Brain/body mismatch?Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17809283662428917799noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-78337909427654719442015-06-19T14:07:43.220-04:002015-06-19T14:07:43.220-04:00I wonder if the Weekly Standard's 1995 and 200...I wonder if the <i>Weekly Standard</i>'s 1995 and 2000 studies the same studies as the following studies:<br /><br />Zhou JN, Hofman MA, Gooren LJ, Swaab DF. <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v378/n6552/abs/378068a0.html" rel="nofollow">A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality</a>. <i>Nature</i> 1995; 378:68.<br /><br />Kruijver FP, Zhou JN, Pool CW, et al. <a href="http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jcem.85.5.6564?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed" rel="nofollow">Male-to-female transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus</a>. <i>Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism</i> 2000; 85:2034.<br /><br />If so:<br /><br />1. I agree with the <i>Weekly Standard</i> about small sample size. However, it wasn't 7 people, but rather the 1995 study had 6 participants, while the 2000 study had 42 participants. Still, 6 is too small to be meaningful. As for the 42, not all of the 42 were actually trans. Only 7 were trans (6 women, 1 man). 6 people with sex hormone disorders. Most the rest were presumed by the study to be heterosexuals and homosexuals.<br /><br />2. Kruijver et al (2000) notes: "The number of neurons in the BSTc of male-to-female transsexuals was similar to that of the females (P = 0.83)." <br /><br />A p value of 0.83 is highly inconclusive. Or to put it another way, the study itself concludes its statement isn't significant, and if the study doesn't put much stock in itself based on its own statistical calculations, then why should we?<br /><br />3. A point of correction (if they're referring to the same studies). These two studies didn't look at the hypothalamus but rather the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTc). The hypothalamus and BSTc are decidedly different parts of the brain. However, for reasons already discussed here and elsewhere, this doesn't necessarily mean there's a scientific basis for transgenderism. And even if there were a scientific basis, it doesn't necessarily mean it is therefore morally licit or medically beneficial for transgenders to become transsexuals.rockingwithhawkinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10550503108269371174noreply@blogger.com