Animal Study Found Puberty Blockers May Cause Depression — Decades After Doctors Began Administering To Children

A 2020 study was the first of its kind to use an animal model to examine the potential neurological and psychiatric effects of puberty-blocking drugs — 22 years after doctors began prescribing them to gender dysphoric adolescents on an experimental basis.

Results showed that leuprolide treatment, which is used to suppress puberty was effective. “profound effects” Female mice showed increased depression; male mice reported increased stress levels and decreased interest in female mice. 

“Our behavioral and neurobiological characterization reveals for the first time that chronic leuprolide treatment, starting after the onset of puberty, exerts sex-specific effects on social preference, despair-like behavior and hyponeophagia, neuroendocrine responses to mild stress, and hyperactivity of the [dentate gyrus], a crucial neurobiological regulator of stress responses in mice,” It reads.

1998 was a landmark year for Dutch clinicians. began As an intervention for children with gender dysphoria, we have published two studies that used leuprolide (GnRH-agonists) to suppress puberty. The problematic “Dutch protocol,” As it was known, the United States adopted it later to create the foundation for the United States. “gender-affirming” Model of care that uses cross-sex hormones and puberty blocksers as well as surgeries to treat the condition. “affirm” Minors in the chosen trans-identity

Although previous studies of leuprolide treatment in animals focused on the physiological effects, this placebo-controlled study was the first to investigate the neurobiological effects. It used post-pubertal mice for a model for children with gender dysphoria. Rats and mice have been used in experiments for many years. model organisms Biomedical research due to their biological, anatomical and genetic similarities to humans.

“The effects of GnRH agonists on brain function and mental health are not well understood,” The abstract was read. “Here, we investigated the effects of leuprolide on reproductive function, social and affective behavior, cognition, and brain activity in a rodent model.”  

The study revealed that male and female mice had different behavioral patterns due to leuprolide treatment. The puberty suppression drug had an effect on male social behavior, but did not affect female social preferences. While experimental mice showed preference for female mice over the control, male mice preferred to be with their female counterparts. “a lack of interest in females and displayed no aggressive behavior toward other male mice.” 

Leuprolide treatment in female mice led to a decrease in appetite and increased immobility. These are common signs of despair-like behavior. Researchers found that the brain region was responsible for increased neural activity. “mood and anxiety regulation, stress resilience and cognition” It supported the depressed behavior of female mice when it was administered to them. Leuprolide treatment in male mice led to an increase in neuroendocrine stress responses. 

“In conclusion, we report that chronic leuprolide treatment in mice has profound effects on female behaviors that are commonly interpreted as depression-like, as well as on neural activity in the hippocampus—a brain region crucially involved in stress processing, depression, and cognition,” Read the discussion section.

“While these mood-related effects are specific to females, leuprolide causes pronounced differences in locomotion and social preference in males and increases neuroendocrine responses to mild stress,” The researchers also added.

“Our results in an animal model shed new light on the effects of chronic GnRHa treatment on behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neurobiological effects of a drug that is commonly used for many clinical conditions, and particularly to alleviate gender dysphoria in transgender youth,” The study was completed.

Dr. Claudia Gennari is an internist and researcher who believes the negative psychiatric results found in this study will have enormous implications for pediatric gender medical.

“This study was long overdue and should bring pause to clinicians treating children with puberty blockers because it shows sex-specific neuropsychological changes caused by this medication,” Gennari spoke to The Daily Wire.  

“This strongly suggests GnRH agonists are not a ‘pause’ button at all and its use can cause negative effects on cognition, behavior, and coping skills,” She continued.

It is far from perfect “completely safe and reversible” And “a pause button on puberty,” Proponents of “gender-affirming care” According to some, children who take puberty blocksers as soon as they feel the urge to, then go on to use cross-sex hormones (which make up the vast majority) will be sterilized. They may not ever be able orgasm.

The New York Times published an article about the negative effects of puberty blocking drugs on bone health. article After reviewing the scientific literature, and interviewing more than 50 academic experts from around the globe, 

For children, only FDA-approved puberty-blocking medications are approved for use in treating central-precocious puberty. This is a condition that results from pituitary dysfunction. Children who experience this condition have their sexual maturation before the age of 8. Off-label prescriptions of puberty blocking drugs have been prescribed by doctors as a precautionary measure. “treatment” Experimental treatment of gender dysphoria among adolescents. 

The FDA has not approved them for use in this crucial time of brain and body growth. There are no long term studies.