Cover image for The female brain
Title:
The female brain
Personal Author:
Series:
Conceptual advances in brain research
Edition:
2nd ed.
Publication Information:
Boca Raton : CRC Press, c2009
Physical Description:
xiv, 251 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.
ISBN:
9781420077445

Available:*

Library
Item Barcode
Call Number
Material Type
Item Category 1
Status
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30000010270378 QP376 D37 2009 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

The first edition of The Female Brain laid the groundwork for gaining a better understanding of the female brain, examining the evidence for structural and functional differences between the brains of males and females. Addressing a wealth of new research, the second edition continues in this vein, leading readers through the basic principles of anatomy and physiology and on to the complex behavioral functions which constitute the workings of the normal and abnormal female brain.

Examines Questions about Structural and Functional Differences

The book addresses the question of structural and functional differences between the female brain and the male brain. Are there differences? How good is the evidence? Where do the differences lie? Are there differences in the neuroanatomy of females, and if so, where? Do females and males process information differently, and if so, how? The author puts the relative lack of information on the female brain into historical perspective and reviews empirical evidence relevant to the different aspects of brain structure and function. She elucidates laterality, the functional asymmetry of the brain, the left brain-right brain distinctions, and how they differ between females and males.

A Clear Presentation and Evaluation of Medical and Scientific Evidence

Filled with rigorous scientific analysis in an easily accessible format and detailed explanatory diagrams, the book systematically develops the topic from anatomy to behavior. It draws on current research to explain why men and women behave differently and why these differences should be exploited when designing research and clinical studies.


Table of Contents

Series Prefacep. xi
Prefacep. xiii
The Authorp. xv
Chapter 1 Introductionp. 1
The male and his musep. 1
The backgroundp. 3
Hormonesp. 3
The central nervous systemp. 8
Interactions between hormones and neurotransmittersp. 21
Neuroscience methodsp. 21
The rulesp. 22
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 24
Chapter 2 A historical perspectivep. 27
The rise of modern sciencep. 31
Conclusionsp. 36
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 36
Chapter 3 Brain structure: The architecture of differencep. 39
Development of the brainp. 40
Sexual dimorphism in the CNSp. 42
Regional differencesp. 46
Evidence from other speciesp. 51
Structural changes in the adult brainp. 54
Conclusionsp. 54
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 56
Chapter 4 Functional differences: Neurotransmitters and neuromodulatorsp. 59
Estrogen, progesterone, androgens, and their receptors in the CNSp. 60
Methods for identifying receptors in the CNSp. 61
Estrogen receptorsp. 62
Progesterone receptorsp. 64
"The knockout model"p. 65
GABAp. 66
Serotoninp. 68
Dopaminep. 70
Cannabinoidsp. 75
Measures of global functionp. 76
Evidence from EEG studiesp. 81
Evidence from evoked potential studiesp. 83
Evidence from scan studiesp. 84
Conclusionsp. 86
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 86
Chapter 5 Perception and cognitionp. 91
IQ: When is a difference not a difference?p. 93
Visual perceptionp. 96
Color: Perception and preferencep. 106
Auditory perceptionp. 107
The senses of small and tastep. 108
A word about touchp. 112
Numbers and sumsp. 112
Memoryp. 113
Conclusionsp. 119
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 120
Chapter 6 Lateralityp. 125
Parallel processing and hemispheric advantagep. 126
Understanding languagep. 128
Emotion and lateralityp. 135
Laterality, the menstrual cycle, and hemispheric advantagep. 137
Two theoretical perspectives on lateralityp. 139
Conclusionsp. 144
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 146
Chapter 7 Neurology, Psychiatry, and the female brainp. 149
Neurologyp. 149
Chronic headachesp. 150
Strokep. 151
Chronic painp. 151
Stressp. 152
Sleepp. 155
Multiple sclerosisp. 156
Epilepsyp. 163
Parkinson's diseasep. 166
Alzheimer's disease and agingp. 169
Psychiatryp. 172
Depressionp. 172
Anxietyp. 176
Schizophreniap. 178
Conclusionsp. 184
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 185
Chapter 8 Drugs and drug effectsp. 193
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamicsp. 195
Drug entry into the CNSp. 198
Drug administration in pregnancy and lactationp. 199
Drug treatment of neurological disordersp. 200
Pain and analgesiap. 200
Migrainep. 201
Neurodegenerationp. 201
Parkinson's diseasep. 205
Alzheimer's diseasep. 206
Multiple sclerosisp. 208
Epilepsyp. 208
Drug treatment of psychiatric disordersp. 210
Anxietyp. 210
Depressionp. 216
Psychosisp. 219
The nontherapeutic use of drugsp. 221
Conclusionsp. 225
Bibliography and recommended readingsp. 226
Chapter 9 Into the twenty-first centuryp. 233
The story to datep. 234
Pregnancy and the brainp. 237
Instructions for using the female brainp. 237
Pursuing the futurep. 238
Changing the outcomesp. 240
Bibliography and referencesp. 242
Indexp. 243