Neural Correlates of Psychosis and Gender Dysphoria in an Adult Male.
Karine Schwarz, Anna Martha Vaitses Fontanari, Andressa Mueller, Bianca Soll, Dhiordan Cardoso Da Silva, Jaqueline Salvador, Kenneth J Zucker, Maiko Abel Schneider, Maria Inês Rodrigues Lobato
Archives of Sexual Behavior April 2016 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-015-0660-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 39-year-old male patient with 25 years of substance abuse, psychotic symptoms, and gender dysphoria |
| Interventions | LSD low-dose antipsychotic withdrawal of psychoactive substances |
| Dose | low-dose antipsychotic |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Dsm-5 Gender identity Parietal lobe Psychotic disorders Transsexualism |
| Key findings | The authors report that a 39-year-old man's gender dysphoria and psychotic symptoms resolved after withdrawal of psychoactive substances and treatment with a low-dose antipsychotic. They propose that the superior parietal cortical area may be involved in body image and that some presentations of gender dysphoria can be created by life experience in individuals with underlying mental or neurophysiological abnormalities, with LSD acting as a triggering factor in this case. |
Abstract
Gender dysphoria (GD) (DSM-5) or transsexualism (ICD-10) refers to the marked incongruity between the experience of one's gender and the sex at birth. In this case report, we describe the use of LSD as a triggering factor of confusion in the gender identity of a 39-year-old male patient, with symptoms of psychosis and 25 years of substance abuse, who sought psychiatric care with the desire to undergo sex reassignment surgery. The symptoms of GD/psychosis were resolved by two therapeutic measures: withdrawal of psychoactive substances and use of a low-dose antipsychotic. We discuss the hypothesis that the superior parietal cortical area may be an important locus for body image and that symptoms of GD may be related to variations underlying this brain region. Finally, this case report shows that some presentations of GD can be created by life experience in individuals who have underlying mental or, synonymously, neurophysiological abnormalities.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lasting Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of (??)Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (???Ecstasy???) in Recreational Users Persons who ingested large doses of MDMA | 1991 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Further Studies in the Therapeutic Value of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Mental Illness Patients with mental illness | 1957 | Case series | |
| Coma, Hyperthermia, and Bleeding Associated with Massive LSD Overdose a Report of Eight Cases People who self-administered large amounts of pure LSD powder intranasally | 1975 | Case series | n = 8 |
| Using a MDMA- and LSD-Group Therapy Model in Clinical Practice in Switzerland and Highlighting the Treatment of Trauma-Related Disorders Patients with chronic complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), dissociative,... | 2022 | Case series | |
| Persistent Palinopsia Following Ingestion of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Patients who developed persistent palinopsia after LSD ingestion | 1996 | Case series | n = 3 |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Sleep paralysis and "the bedroom intruder": the role of the right superior parietal, phantom pain and body image projection. Medical Hypotheses December 1, 2014
- The neurobiology of psychedelic drugs: implications for the treatment of mood disorders. Nature Reviews Neuroscience September 2010
- Hallucinogens recruit specific cortical 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated signaling pathways to affect behavior. Neuron February 1, 2007