How puberty hormones and testosterone affect headaches in transmasculine teens
Effect of pubertal hormones on Headache in Transmasculine Adolescents
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · NIH-11322981
This project looks at whether starting gender‑affirming testosterone changes how often or how bad headaches are in transmasculine adolescents.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11322981 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From your point of view, the team will first look across medical records from several centers to compare headache rates in teens who have and have not started testosterone. They will follow adolescents over time to see whether headache frequency or severity changes after beginning gender‑affirming testosterone. The researchers will also use brain imaging to look for structural and functional changes in areas linked to headache, like the amygdala, that might explain hormone‑related effects.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are transmasculine adolescents (roughly ages 11–20) who are planning to start or have recently started gender‑affirming testosterone and who can provide medical records and attend visits or scans.
Not a fit: Youth who are not transmasculine, who are not using or planning to use testosterone, or who cannot undergo MRI scans or clinic follow‑up are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians prevent or better treat headaches in transmasculine adolescents by guiding hormone‑therapy timing and related care.
How similar studies have performed: This is a novel approach: prior research links puberty and sex hormones to headache differences between sexes, but using testosterone in transmasculine youth as a controlled model is new.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER — Aurora, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HRANILOVICH, JENNIFER — UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- Study coordinator: HRANILOVICH, JENNIFER
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.