Sexual reversal in men and women with schizophrenia in terms of neuronal circuit

Mar 29 2009

The brain of a schizophrenic woman possesses masculine qualities while that of a man with the same disease has feminine attributes, according to a recent study by Dr. Adrianna Mendrek from Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital.

The researcher will present her findings as part of the first Scientific Day of the Chair of Sex, Gender and Mental Health of the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH), one of the 13 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHRs). The event will be held tomorrow, Friday, March 27, at Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital. "We have noted a masculinization of the female brain and a feminization of the male one in schizophrenics. There is a real sexual reversal in men and women with schizophrenia in terms of neuronal circuits, the dimensions of certain cerebral structures and the production of hormones. We therefore sought to find out whether there are similar differences in terms of cerebral functions," explains Adrianna Mendrek, who is also a researcher associated with the Université de Montréal's Department of Psychiatry. "We thus studied cerebral activation in people with schizophrenia in terms of emotional processing and cognitive analysis. The results are surprising. When we show a sad photo to men with schizophrenia or when we ask them to perform a spatial skills task, they display cerebral activation similar to that of healthy women performing the same tests. Conversely, women with schizophrenia show cerebral activation similar to that of healthy men." "These results will help us to better understand this complex disease and revise therapeutic and pharmacological treatment methods. It's still difficult to explain what underlies the sexual reversal mechanisms. Could abnormal production of intrauterine sex hormones be the cause? Could this phenomenon arise from social pressures or differences related to sex and gender in our society? Many questions remain unanswered for now. That's what motivates me to continue my research," concludes Adrianna Mendrek.

Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital

Supported by the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, the Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital also enjoys a beneficial partnership with Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital and the Philippe-Pinel Institute of Montréal. On the cutting edge of knowledge, it is one of the most important mental health research sites in francophone Canada.

Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital

A leader in its field, Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital is a member of the Université de Montréal's extended network of excellence in health. It offers specialized and ultraspecialized mental health services and develops learning through research, teaching and evaluation.