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10 - Brain differences

from Part III - Hormones and the brain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2009

By
Paula Shear  and
Rosemary Fama
Edited by
Martha J. Morrell  and
Kerry L. Flynn
Paula Shear
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
Rosemary Fama
Affiliation:
SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
Martha J. Morrell
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York
Kerry L. Flynn
Affiliation:
Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
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Summary

Dr Paula Shear is a neuropsychologist who has worked with men and women with epilepsy to study brain functioning. Dr Rosemary Fama is a research associate at SRI International. They bring this knowledge and experience to this chapter, in which they review the differences in brain development, organization, and functioning between men and women. For example, whereas men and women have similar intelligence, men tend to be stronger with visual–spatial and mathematical tasks, and women have stronger verbal abilities. These brain differences mean that men and women with epilepsy may be more or less likely to develop particular types of difficulities. These differences are of particular importance as we consider how epilepsy might affect men and women differently, and also as we think about the potential side effects of epilepsy treatments such as medications and surgery.

MJM

This chapter provides an overview of the differences between men and women in terms of brain development, normal cognitive (thinking) skills, and the cognitive difficulties that may result from epilepsy. Although men and women have more similarities than differences in their brain development and brain functioning, a large body of scientific literature supports the presence of small but meaningful differences between their brains. The emphasis of this chapter is on the biology of sex differences in brain functioning, but there are many ‘nonbiological’ factors that also explain differences in behavior between men and women (Fig. 10.1).

From infancy, boys and girls are socialized differently in our culture.

Keywords

anterior temporal lobebrain developmentbrain injurycognitive (thinking) skillshormonal environmentfemale brainneurologic disordersepilepsy surgery
Type
Chapter
Information
Women with Epilepsy
A Handbook of Health and Treatment Issues
 , pp. 101 - 111
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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References

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  • Brain differences
    • By Paula Shear, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA, Rosemary Fama, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.010
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  • Brain differences
    • By Paula Shear, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA, Rosemary Fama, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.010
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Brain differences
    • By Paula Shear, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA, Rosemary Fama, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.010
Available formats
×