- Gender-Specific Differences Found
In Human Brain
-
- Toronto - Men and women's brains are
distinctly different. While men have more neurons in the cerebral cortex,
the brain's outer layer, women have more neuropil, which contains the processes
allowing cell communication. Research showing these gender-specific differences
was presented during the American Academy of Neurology 51st Annual Meeting
April 17 -- 24, 1999, in Toronto.
-
- "The cerebral cortex is responsible
for voluntary movements, perception of sensory input and of highly complex
functions such as memory, learning, reasoning and language," said
Gabrielle de Courten-Myers, MD, study author and associate professor of
neuropathology at the University of Cincinnati. "Males possess more
tightly packed and more numerous nerve cells (neurons) than females. Neurons
send and receive electrical signals that influence many functions of the
body and create thoughts and feelings. Females tend to have more neuropil,
the fibular tissue that fills the space between nerve cell bodies and contains
mainly nerve cell processes (synapses, dendrites and axons) that enable
neurons to communicate with numerous other nerve cells."
-
- This research may explain previous findings
that women are more prone to dementing illnesses than are men. Although
a man and woman may lose the same number of neurons due to a disease, such
as dementia, the woman's functional loss may be greater because the cells
lost are more densely connected with other neurons. Added de Courten-Myers,
"Conversely, in males, the 'functional reserve' may be greater as
a larger number of nerve cells are present, which could prevent some of
the functional losses."
-
- Although these gender-specific variations
cause tangible differences in how the brain functions, one type is not
"better" or "worse" than the other. Said de Courten-Myers,
"It seems reasonable to assume that specific functions may benefit
from the presence of more cells while others may be enhanced by a larger
number of connections between them. A better understanding of these issues
may potentially affect a wide spectrum of human activities such as health
care, psychology and teaching."
-
- The researchers measured the cortex thickness
and counted nerve cells from various sites within the healthy brains of
17 deceased subjects (10 males and seven females).
-
- "The recognition of gender-specific
ways of thinking and feeling -- rendered more credible given these established
differences -- could prove beneficial in enhancing interpersonal relationships."
Said de Courten-Myers, "However, the interpretation of the data also
has the potential for abuse and harm if either gender would seek to construct
evidence for superiority of the male or female brain from these findings."
-
-
- The American Academy of Neurology, an
association of more than 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals,
is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.
-
-
- Note: This story has been adapted from
a news release issued by American Academy Of Neurology for journalists
and other members of the public. If you wish to quote from any part of
this story, please credit American Academy Of Neurology as the original
source. You may also wish to include the following link in any citation:
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/04/990422061106.htmhttp://www.scien
cedaily.com/releases/1999/04/990422061106.htm
|
