Female Brain, Male Brain - Differences

2023 Author: Wallace Forman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 11:04

Female, male brain?

First of all: You cannot tell from the pure structure of a brain whether it is female or male. There are hardly any well-founded structural differences in our “control center”. Our brain adapts to the respective experiences throughout our life. In the field of brain research, there is still a lot to be researched in the field of gender medicine.

But how do you recognize studies in the field, how do female and male hormones work and what does the expression “gender medicine” actually mean? Find out more about this exciting topic.

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• Meaningful studies?
• Does the brain have a gender?
• Gender medicine

Meaningful studies?

Caution should be exercised when discussing gender differences in the female and male brain. There are relevant neuroscientific studies on this, but not all of them cast a reliable, objective picture of the question of gender-specific differences - e.g. with regard to behavior, emotional regulation or cognition. Brain processes, behavior and thinking are very individual. Therefore, research results in this area are difficult to apply exactly to individual people.

One of the reasons for this is that gender stereotypes and clichés are deeply rooted in society. Genetic predisposition plays a role, especially when it comes to characteristics such as behavior. However, they are significantly shaped by environmental conditions (epigenetics), for example by bringing up typical female or male characteristics or activities. But differences in the approach to statistical evaluations can also distort results. Imaging methods try to localize certain mental processes, for example using functional MR. However, such investigations cannot explain specific biochemically related processes.

How to recognize good studies

Meaningful studies on the topic of gender and the brain can be recognized by the following features, among others:

• As many test subjects as possible (larger samples lead to more reliable results)
• Brain processes (instead of structures) are explored (to understand what is going on in the brain)
• Effect sizes are indicated (helps to assess research results in terms of practical relevance)
• Psychosocial influences are taken into account (our environment shapes us)

Does the brain have a gender?

You cannot assign a brain to a gender due to its structure, its blood flow or its metabolism. So far, brain research has been characterized by the search for gender differences. These have attracted a lot of public attention, even if the results of the investigation were sometimes contradicting, simplifying or only found in small investigation units. We now know that the differences in the brains of women and men discussed earlier are more of a myth than a scientific fact. Israeli researchers examined female and male brains for anatomical differences in a large-scale study: an unequivocal gender assignment was not possible. On the contrary, the brains are sexually heterogeneous (inconsistent),revealed scientific research.

Modern brain research is based on the plasticity of the brain. This means that our brain adapts to the respective experiences throughout our life. It is not stipulated in its fine structure, in its interconnection or in its activation patterns. Nature and culture are in constant interaction. Consequently, experiences such as role assignments, availability of resources and gender hierarchies also have an impact on our brain architecture.

In addition, hormones or sex hormones have a variety of effects in the body. For more information, see Sex organs and hormones. Sex hormones influence neurobiological processes and reproduction. The male or female gender identity arises more through social than biological processes. Incidentally, the personal gender identity of every person is reflected in the networking between brain regions.

Gender medicine

Gender medicine is the science of the differences in normal human biology between men and women and how symptoms, mechanisms, and treatment vary depending on gender. She deals with gender differences in diseases - including the brain / nerves or the psyche. The aim here is to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment while taking (social) gender into account.

You can find more information at:

• Depression: Typically Female, Typically Male?
• Stroke in women
• Gender aspects in pain medicine
• Gender health