found that several months of estrogen use led to “an increase in ventricular volume and a decrease in brain volume.” Studies in male rats showed similar effects: estrogen and testosterone blockers reduced brain volume and altered brain chemistry. The authors suggest these changes may result from disruptions in how water is regulated in brain cells—potentially mimicking patterns seen in degenerative diseases.
The paper also notes that levels of BDNF—a brain chemical critical for mood and memory—tend to decline in patients on cross-sex hormones. Low BDNF is associated with depression and shrinkage of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory. Taken together, these findings raise the possibility that estrogen may produce lasting changes in male brain structure and function.
Not to worry. It's all part of "gender-affirming care".
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