[Electroencephalographic changes in transsexualism (author's transl)].

The study's goal was the examination of the hypothesis that transsexualism develops on a diminution of sexual drive which itself is a result of temporal lobe dysfunction. 28 transsexuals were examined. More than 30% of this group showed pathologic findings in EEG recordings. Most of the pathological findings were situated in the temporal region. Four transsexuals with pathologic EEG findings mentioned a brain injury in their personal history. In all but one case this injury had taken place after manifestation of transsexual behavior. There was no correlation between depressed sexual drive and pathologic electroencephalographic changes. Generally genetic male transsexuals showed a diminuation of sexual drive only by taking estradiol. This is interpreted as a hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The electroencephalographic findings in 9 or 28 cases of transsexualism with an increase of epsilon-waves mostly in the temporal region are discussed in the context of single case studies and regarded as a reference to temporal lobe dysfunction. This dysfunction is interpreted as a biologic factor in the etiology of transsexualism.