Differences in the Sexes
I know how much you all love MSN... well, their latest article titled, "The New Sex Scorecard" has some interesting bits from research and so forth.
"We've practiced medicine as though only a woman's breasts, uterus and ovaries made her unique--and as though her heart, brain and every other part of her body were identical to those of a man," says Marianne J. Legato, M.D., a cardiologist at Columbia University who spearheads the new push on gender differences.
Check the article for the details, but here's the quick rundown:
- Women live longer, but "break down" more often.
- Females less susceptible to many mental disorders, like autism and schizophrenia
- Y chromosome influences brain to grow more dopamine neurons, which are involved in reward and motivation. These neurons also affect motor skills... and men are twice as likely to suffer from Parkinson's than women.
- Men have larger brains, but women have 15-20% more gray matter. Both sexes score equally well on intelligence tests.
- Male cranium is filled with more white matter and cerebrospinal fluid, presumably to "cushion the brain" since "men are more likely to get their heads banged about."
- Due to same higher level of white matter, men are superior at spatial reasoning. This white matter may also suppress "activation of areas that could interfere with work."
- Women are superior with language tasks.
- Women have faster blood flow to the brain, which slows cognitive effects of aging.
- Men lose more brain tissue with age.
- Women's skills are based more in "intuition" and people reading. Empathy. "Big-picture" thinking.
- Men focus on details, and "systemize" things. Can operate most easily with a certain detachment.
- Autism is something of a "magnifying mirror of maleness." Autism and Asperger happens to males far more than it does to females.
- Females far more likely to become depressed (regarding unipolar depression).
- Women "have the capacity" to become depressed at lower levels of stress.
- Women are set up to "internally amplify their negative life experiences," and "ruminate over upsetting situations... especially if they have to do with relationships."
- Men are more prone to excess of alcoholism, drug abuse, antisocial behavior.
- Sex differences are disappearing. More women are having affairs, and more men are having deeper emotional involvement in relationships.
Something I thought you'd all "like" to read:
The superiority of males at spatial cognition and females' talent for language probably subserve the more basic difference of systemizing versus empathizing. The two mental styles manifest in the toys kids prefer (humanlike dolls versus mechanical trucks); verbal impatience in males (ordering rather than negotiating); and navigation (women personalize space by finding landmarks; men see a geometric system, taking directional cues in the layout of routes).
What are your thoughts? Does any of this contradict your impressions of things? Reinforce some of them?
I thought the information on the differences in brains and how that affects diseases, etc. and depression was especially interesting.
"We've practiced medicine as though only a woman's breasts, uterus and ovaries made her unique--and as though her heart, brain and every other part of her body were identical to those of a man," says Marianne J. Legato, M.D., a cardiologist at Columbia University who spearheads the new push on gender differences.
Check the article for the details, but here's the quick rundown:
- Women live longer, but "break down" more often.
- Females less susceptible to many mental disorders, like autism and schizophrenia
- Y chromosome influences brain to grow more dopamine neurons, which are involved in reward and motivation. These neurons also affect motor skills... and men are twice as likely to suffer from Parkinson's than women.
- Men have larger brains, but women have 15-20% more gray matter. Both sexes score equally well on intelligence tests.
- Male cranium is filled with more white matter and cerebrospinal fluid, presumably to "cushion the brain" since "men are more likely to get their heads banged about."
- Due to same higher level of white matter, men are superior at spatial reasoning. This white matter may also suppress "activation of areas that could interfere with work."
- Women are superior with language tasks.
- Women have faster blood flow to the brain, which slows cognitive effects of aging.
- Men lose more brain tissue with age.
- Women's skills are based more in "intuition" and people reading. Empathy. "Big-picture" thinking.
- Men focus on details, and "systemize" things. Can operate most easily with a certain detachment.
- Autism is something of a "magnifying mirror of maleness." Autism and Asperger happens to males far more than it does to females.
- Females far more likely to become depressed (regarding unipolar depression).
- Women "have the capacity" to become depressed at lower levels of stress.
- Women are set up to "internally amplify their negative life experiences," and "ruminate over upsetting situations... especially if they have to do with relationships."
- Men are more prone to excess of alcoholism, drug abuse, antisocial behavior.
- Sex differences are disappearing. More women are having affairs, and more men are having deeper emotional involvement in relationships.
Something I thought you'd all "like" to read:
The superiority of males at spatial cognition and females' talent for language probably subserve the more basic difference of systemizing versus empathizing. The two mental styles manifest in the toys kids prefer (humanlike dolls versus mechanical trucks); verbal impatience in males (ordering rather than negotiating); and navigation (women personalize space by finding landmarks; men see a geometric system, taking directional cues in the layout of routes).
What are your thoughts? Does any of this contradict your impressions of things? Reinforce some of them?
I thought the information on the differences in brains and how that affects diseases, etc. and depression was especially interesting.