Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, Department of Endocrinology, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, Department of Endocrinology, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
J Sex Med. 2021 Aug;18(8):1434-1443. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.05.013. Epub 2021 Jul 8.
BACKGROUND: Long-term gender-affirming hormone therapy (GHT) in older transgender individuals could have beneficial effects on cognitive functioning. Cardiovascular risk factors and psychological factors are known determinants of cognition. Despite the rising number of older transgender individuals, only few studies have examined cognitive functioning in this population. AIM: We aimed to assess differences in cognitive functioning between transgender women, and non-transgender (cisgender) women and men, and investigated the contribution of cardiovascular risk factors and psychological factors on these differences. METHODS: In this study, 37 transgender women (age range 55 to 69) receiving GHT for at least ten years (range 10.2 to 41.6) were examined, and their cognitive functioning was compared to an age and education level matched cohort consisting of 222 cisgender women and men from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Linear regression analyses were performed. OUTCOMES: Cognitive functioning was assessed by neuropsychological tests including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Category Fluency animals, Letter Fluency D, 15-Word test (15WT) immediate and delayed recall. Additionally, cardiovascular risk factors and psychological factors such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, antihypertensive use, statin use, diabetes mellitus, overweight, smoking, alcohol consumption, psychopharmaceutical use, anxiety and depression symptoms were collected. RESULTS: Transgender women had higher MMSE scores compared with cisgender women (+0.9, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.5), and cisgender men (+1.1, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.8). On all other tests transgender women performed similar to cisgender men. Transgender women performed at a lower level than cisgender women on 15WT immediate recall, -5.5, 95% CI -7.6 to -3.4, and 15WT delayed recall, -2.7, 95% CI -3.7 to -1.7, and equal to cisgender women on Fluency animals and Fluency D. Cardiovascular and psychological factors (i.e., cardiovascular disease and depression symptoms) partly explained differences on MMSE score between transgender women and cisgender-control groups. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study do not indicate a need for tailored hormone treatment strategies for older transgender women, based on cognitive aspects after long-term GHT. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: As one of the first studies, this study compared older transgender women to a large cohort of cisgender men and women regarding cognitive functioning and took into account numerous potential influencing factors. Limitations include difference in test procedures and the cross-sectional design of the study. CONCLUSION: Cognitive differences between transgender women and cisgender women and men were small, albeit significant. This may suggest that long-term GHT effects on cognitive functioning in older transgender women are minimal. van Heesewijk JO, Dreijerink KMA, Wiepjes CM, et al. Long-Term Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy and Cognitive Functioning in Older Transgender Women Compared With Cisgender Women and Men. J Sex Med 2021;18:1434-1443.
背景:长期的性别肯定激素治疗(GHT)在年长的跨性别者中可能对认知功能有有益的影响。心血管危险因素和心理因素是认知的已知决定因素。尽管年长的跨性别者人数不断增加,但只有少数研究检查了该人群的认知功能。
目的:我们旨在评估跨性别女性与非跨性别(顺性别)女性和男性之间认知功能的差异,并探讨心血管危险因素和心理因素对这些差异的贡献。
方法:在这项研究中,检查了 37 名接受 GHT 治疗至少十年(范围为 10.2 至 41.6)的跨性别女性(年龄 55 至 69 岁),并将其认知功能与来自阿姆斯特丹纵向老龄化研究的年龄和教育水平相匹配的 222 名顺性别女性和男性队列进行比较。进行了线性回归分析。
结果:认知功能通过神经心理学测试进行评估,包括简易精神状态检查(MMSE)、类别流畅性动物、字母流畅性 D、15 字测试(15WT)即时和延迟回忆。此外,还收集了心血管危险因素和心理因素,如心血管疾病、高血压、降压药使用、他汀类药物使用、糖尿病、超重、吸烟、饮酒、精神药物使用、焦虑和抑郁症状。
跨性别女性的 MMSE 评分高于顺性别女性(+0.9,95%CI 0.4 至 1.5)和顺性别男性(+1.1,95%CI 0.4 至 1.8)。在所有其他测试中,跨性别女性与顺性别男性的表现相似。与顺性别女性相比,跨性别女性在 15WT 即时回忆(-5.5,95%CI -7.6 至 -3.4)和 15WT 延迟回忆(-2.7,95%CI -3.7 至 -1.7)方面表现较差,而在动物流畅性和 D 流畅性方面与顺性别女性相同。心血管和心理因素(即心血管疾病和抑郁症状)部分解释了跨性别女性与顺性别对照组之间 MMSE 评分的差异。
结论:这项研究的结果表明,基于长期 GHT 后认知方面的情况,不需要为年长的跨性别女性制定专门的激素治疗策略。
优势与局限性:作为第一项研究之一,本研究比较了年长的跨性别女性与大型顺性别女性和男性队列的认知功能,并考虑了许多潜在的影响因素。局限性包括测试程序的差异和研究的横断面设计。
结论:跨性别女性与顺性别女性和男性之间的认知差异虽然很小,但具有统计学意义。这可能表明,长期 GHT 对年长的跨性别女性的认知功能影响很小。
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