MALE AND FEMALE BRAINS:

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

Tiffany Loucks Bonnie Seiler Natalie Everitt Nicole Greenlee

INTRODUCTION
Structural & Chemical differences Grey matter VS White matter Brain maturation Cognitive differences Emotional & Hormonal differences 10 biggest differences in the Male and Female brain Fun

HIS BRAIN

HER BRAIN Frontal lobes (problem solving & decision making) & Limbic cortices (emotions & language) are larger Neurons are more tightly packed Have 10% more white matter (brain connections) (Edmonds, Molly 2008)

Slightly larger Parietal cortices (space perception), and amygdala's (sexual and social behavior) are larger Have 6.5 times more gray matter(information processing)

HER BRAIN

Secretes a lot more serotonin Higher Oxytocin levels More estrogen and progesterone

HIS BRAIN

Secretes less serotonin More testosterone

Gray Matter vs. White Matter

Gray & White Matters Role in the Brain Battle of the Sexes

Role in the Brain

Areas in the brain which are dominated by cell bodies are called gray matter because of their grayish appearance. These are considered information processing centers Areas that are dominated by axons are called white matter, due to the whiteness caused by the myelin sheath that cover the axons. White Matter works to network the processing centers of gray matter White matter continues to develop where gray matter does not. This may explain why women are typically better than men at verbal tasks, while men are usually better at spacial tasks.

Battle of The Sexes

Women have a higher percentage of gray matter, whereas men have a higher percentage of white matter and CSF The gray/white matter ratio is consistently higher in frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes in women.

IQ and Gray Matter

It has been shown that gray matter in specific regions of the brain is significantly correlated to FSIQ rather than overall size In men, IQ correlates with gray matter volume in the frontal and parietal lobes as well as Wernicke's area, which is associated with the processing of words that we hear being spoken, or language inputs In women, IQ correlates with gray matter volume in the frontal lobe and Brocas area, which is involved in language production and/or output A persons mental strengths and weaknesses depend in large part on the individual pattern of gray matter across his or her brain.

Brain Maturation

Brain Mapping Growth Location Gender Differences in Milestones

Brain Mapping
By measuring the thickness of the brain's cortex and how it changes over time, scientists have found the most significant difference in the brain of boys and girls at 9 years of age.

By 22 years old, the brains of men and women grew more alike in many areas critical for learning In general, most parts of people's brains are fully developed by the age of 25 to 30

Growth Locations
Young girls' brains tend to mature faster in the front part, which is responsible, among other things, for language learning and controlling aggression and impulsivity For boys, the fastest development is in the back of the brain, which performs visual-spatial tasks at which males tend to excel such as geometry and puzzle-solving

Gender Differences in Milestones

At birth: Girls are a few weeks more mature neurologically and have more advanced hearing. Boys on average weigh half a pound more. First words: Girls typically utter their first word at 11 or 12 months, one month ahead of boys. Vocabulary: At 18 months, girls on average know 86.8 words, more than double boys' 41.8 words. By 30 months, boys' and girls' language skills have converged, at about 500 words. Walking: Caucasian girls and boys tend to walk around 12 months. African-Americans walk sooner, at nine to 10 months. Potty training: Girls are fully trained by 36 months, according to one study. Boys took a bit longer, training by 38 months. Onset of puberty: For girls, the process can start at age 9 to 10. For boys, it's closer to 11 to 12
Scientists combined MRIs of a girl and a boy brain. Blue shows where the two differ most, purple is a little different, and white virtually the same. At age 10, differences dominate. Similarities increase over time.

MALES

FEMALES
Better at rapidly identifying matching items Better at remembering whether an object, or a series of objects, has been displaced Better at recalling things Better with tasks involving fine motor coordination Better on mathematical calculation tests (Kimura, Doreen 2002)

Men perform better than women at spatial tasks Better at mathematical reasoning tests Better at target-directed motor skills Better at matching lines with identical slopes Better on tests that involve manipulating objects in some fashion

The

male brain is highly specialized, using specific parts of one hemisphere or the other to accomplish specific tasks. The female brain is more diffused and utilizes significant portions of both hemispheres for a variety of tasks.
Men

are able to focus on narrow issues and block out unrelated information and distractions. Women naturally see everyday things from a broader, "big-picture" vantage point.
Men

can narrowly focus their brains on specific tasks or activities for long periods of time without tiring. Women are better equipped to divide their attention among multiple activities or tasks.
Men

are able to separate information, stimulus, emotions, relationships, etc. into separate compartments in their brains, while women tend to link everything together.
Men

see individual issues with parts of their brain, while women look at the holistic or multiple issues with their whole brain (both hemispheres). (Kastelman, Mark 2012)

MEN

WOMEN

Tend to be very linear Men are physical first and emotional second Men show up more with their emotional presence being an afterthought

Think more globally and consider bigger picture Women think more about the whole cloth, not just the part that they can see or touch Physicality grows out of emotionality that activates their physical and sexual natures Women are more apt to show up physically and sexually when their partner is there emotionally

Men are more apt to get past (not forgive) and emotional transgression than one that is physical or sexual (its a territory thing) Women are more apt to get past (not forgive) a sexual transgression rather than an emotional one

Emotional First, Physical Second

Global study of 55 cultures found that women tend to be more emotional, agreeable, extroverted, and conscientious than men Women can read other peoples emotional reactions better than men, whether visually or verbally Women display greater sadness or anxiety than men Men show an increase in blood pressure and tendency toward alcohol craving during stress

Women are more inclined to experience disgust when exposed to stimuli intended to elicit an emotional reaction Men are told to suck it up Women are told to let it all out Men express emotion only when the situation warrants it

Overly emotional women tend to be at greater risk for depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders

Men who repress their feelings are at greater risk for physical ailments such as high blood pressure, and also indulge in more risky behaviors and vices like smoking or drinking

Human Relationships- women tend to communicate more effectively than men, focusing on how to create a solution that works for the group, talking through issues and utilizing non-verbal cues; men tend to be more task oriented, less talkative, and more isolated Left brain vs. Both Hemispheres- men tend to process better in the left hemisphere and women process equally between both hemispheres Mathematical Abilities- An area of the brain called the inferior-parietal lobule (IPL) is typically larger in men than in women; this section is thought to control mathematical ability

Reaction to Stress- men tend to have a fight or flight response to stressful situations while women tend to approach stressful situations with a tend and befriend strategy Language- two sections of the brain that are responsible for language are larger in women than men Emotions- women have a larger limbic system than men which allows them to be more in touch with their feelings and able to express emotions better Brain Size- mens brains are 11-12% bigger than womens brains

Pain- women require more morphine than men to reach the same level of pain reduction; women are also more likely to vocalize their pain and to seek treatment Spatial Ability- men typically have stronger spatial ability whereas women typically struggle in this area Susceptibility to Disorders- Men are more apt to have dyslexia or other language problems; women are more susceptible to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety

Hormone- chemical substance produced by an endocrine gland that has a specific effect on the activities of other organs in the body

Major female and male hormones can be classified as estrogens or androgens and both hormones are present in both males and females but in different amounts

Men produce 6-8 mg of testosterone (an androgen) per day Estrogens are the sex hormones produced primarily by a females ovaries that stimulate the growth of a girls sex organs, as well as her breasts and pubic hair Estrogens also regulate the functioning of the menstrual cycle

Estrogens are important in maintaining the condition of the vaginal lining and its elasticity, and in producing vaginal lubrication Help preserve the texture and function of a womans breasts Estrogens have no known function in men; however and unusually high level may reduce sexual appetite, cause erectile difficulties, produce some breast enlargement, and result in the loss of body hair in some men Androgens are sex hormones produced primarily by a males testes, but are also produced in small amounts by females ovaries and the adrenal gland Androgens help trigger the development of testes and penis in a male fetus Androgens jump start the process of puberty and influence the development of facial, body, and pubic hair, deepening of the voice, and muscle development

After puberty, androgens, specifically testosterone, play a role in the regulation of the sex drive. Large deficiencies of testosterone may cause a drop in sexual desire, and excessive testosterone may highten sexual interests in both sexes In men, to little testosterone may cause difficulty obtaining or maintaining erection

References
Edmonds, Molly.(Oct, 2008) "Do men and women have different brains?" HowStuffWorks.com. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/humanbody/systems/nervous-system/men-women-different-brains.htm Johnson, A. (2001, March 22). As Little Girls and Boys Grow, They Think Alike. Retrieved from The Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704355304576214904139134080.html?KEYW ORDS=boys%27+and+girls%27+brains+are+different Kastleman, Mark (2012) The Difference Between the Male and Female Brain Kimura, Doreen(2002) Sex differences in the brain Scientific American Magazine August, 2002

Richard J. Haier, R. E. (2005). Gray Matter vs. White Matter. Retrieved from Neuroscience of Intelligence:

http://www.macalester.edu/psychology/whathap/ubnrp/intelligence05/ Ngraywhite.html