Sex on brain Sex on Brain European Research Group Lecture about sex differences of brain from a human perspective Ira RonitHeboldHaraldsen, GID section, Department of Neuro- psychiatry, Centre of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oslo, National Hospital – Rikshospitalet – Oslo, Norway

SOBER Group Sex on Brain European Research Group Effects of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor blockage on brain development and behaviour in humans and animals

SOBER Sex on Brain European Research SOBER 1 = BIG 4 – Human treatment model – Clinical Research SOBER 2 = Animal model - Brain Biobank – March 2009 SOBER 3 = FMRI Models SOBER 4 = Human Genom Diagnostics

Center for the Study of Human Cognition FRONT lundosloberkleyexecutivestudies Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM)

SOBER Board

SOBER I – The Human Project Effects of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor blockage on brain development and behaviour in humans Andersson, Stein - Neuropsychologist BjarkHalvorsen, Therese - Plastic surgeon, urologist Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy – director De Cuypere, Griet – director Diseth, Trond - Child psychiatrist Due Tønnesen, Paulina - Neuroradiologist Fjell Anders – Controll group – director Gross, Anniken - Gynecologist Gulbrandsen, Kjersti - Psychiatric nurse Haraldsen, Ira – director Hellem, Frøydis – Psychologist Heylens, Gunter - PhD Kaspara, Solveig - Center coordinator Kreukels, Baudewintje - Postdoc Paap, Muirne – PhD Richter-Appelt, Hertha – director Nieder, Timo – PhD Schreiner, Thomas- Endocrinologist Tønseth, Kim Plastic - Surgeon Walhovd, Kristine - Controll group – directors Peggy Cohen Kettenis

SOBER 2 An animal model Effects ofGonadotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor blockage on brain development and behaviour in sheep The introduction of a new animal model to evaluate sex specific consequences and mechanisms of a common hormone treatment strategy in man Brain biobank opens on the 28 th of March 2009

SOBER 2 - Cochno Farm - Oslo Kristine von Krogh, Hannah Harjen, DeborahKingsley, Stefan Suetterlin

SOBER 3 - FMRI paradigm Model development for sex differences in adolescence Nordstrand og Tåsen skole Nina Tangstrøm, Haakon Engen

Publications 2008 in print Hebold Haraldsen et al inTextbookofPsychiatry, Gyldendal, 2008 Tønseth K, Haraldsen IR, Sex reassignment surgery, Den norskelegetidsskriften, 2008 submitted in 2008 HeboldHaraldsen*, I R. Casper, R. LH, FSH as predictors for cognitivefunction in normal middle-agedwomen, Psychoneuroendocrinology, submitted in 2008 Paap M, Hebold Haraldsen I R, Sex specificcognitivesolutionstrategies in earlyonsetgenderidentitydisorderpatients, Neuropsychology, submitted in to submitt first half year Paap M, Hebold Haraldsen IR,, Prevalence, Diagnostics and comorbidity in Norwegianearlyonsetgenderidentitydisorderpatients, Psychiatric Research, 2009 Hebold Haraldsen IR, Falch, J. cross sex patternof Ultrasound BMD measurements in in earlyonsetgenderidentitydisorderpatients, Endocrinology, 2009 Endestad T, Melinder, A, Haraldsen, IR, A FMRI –model to discover sex differences in brain during adolescentdevelopment al. et Hebold Haraldsen,Neurocognition in sheeptreated by prenatallyGnRHblockage, in work, expected in press 2009

2009 – 2014 Understanding the time correlated phenomenon of puberty and sex differences of the brain Behaviour and cognitive function of male and female animals/ humans, prior to treatment and after blockage of GnRHR Structural changes of the brain between the sexes and the groups (cytoarchitecture, layer thickness and cell density Neuronal/glial cell ratio, Ccell proliferation and neuronal apoptosis Degree of myelination Synaptic distribution and integrity, using specific antibody Architecture of dendritic tree and spine number Gene expression and distribution of GnRH, ER alpha and beta, and AR receptors Expression of hypothalamic oestrodiol receptors, GAD, GnRH, galanin, LH and FSH receptor immunreactivity and subsequent hormone secretion