Genders of the Brain

by Catherine Genevieve B. Lagunzad, Ph.D.

Introduction The brain is an amazing organ. It makes us think, allows us to feel sadness and pain and tells us to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. What our eyes can see or what our ears can hear would mean very little unless processed by this gray and white matter. The seat of love is not really the heart but the brain. Our urge to show love, our biological function of producing eggs or sperms, even what we are as man or woman, depend on the processes that occur in the brain. The Human Brain The human brain has three major divisions namely, the forebrain, the midbrain and the hindbrain. Refer to Table 1 and Figure 1 for the main parts of the major divisions and some of their corresponding functions. The cerebrum of the forebrain, in humans, is so large that it practically envelops the rest of the other parts of the brain. The cerebrum is divided into two convoluted halves, the left and the right hemispheres. It look just like the convoluted edible seed of walnut? The two hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum, a thick bundle containing more than 200 million nerve fibers (axons). Each hemisphere is further split by deep grooves into four lobes, namely the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. The functional role of each lobe is mapped out in Figure 2. Note that sense of smell is located in the frontal, motor and sensory information of the limbs in the parietal, vision in the occipital and hearing in the temporal lobes. Ascending sensory nerve tracts cross descending motor tracts. Thus, sensory information from the right side

of the body is detected in the left cerebral hemisphere, while motor commands from the left hemisphere affect muscles and organs on the right side of the body. Although the left hemisphere contains exactly the same lobes as that of the right hemisphere, it was noted, that muscle control of speech rests largely on the left temporal lobe. It is further speculated that the left hemisphere is the rational, engineering and debating part while the right hemisphere is the intuitive, artistic and musical part of the brain. Differences between the male brain and female brain One marked difference between the male and female brains is the size of the corpus callosum that connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres. Using special surgical procedure in cats, researchers showed that information reaching one half of the brain was unavailable to the other half in the absence of the corpus callosum. Who do you think has a larger corpus callosum, a man or a woman? Female brains, in general, have larger corpus callosum. This may indicate very close communication between the two cerebral hemispheres. It was further observed that females use both sides of the brain equally for verbal and visual activities, emotional responses and in predicting threedimensional shapes of objects. Males on the other hand use one side of the brain exclusively for particular activities. For instance, righthanded men use exclusively the left cerebral hemisphere for verbal activities and the right for emotional responses, visual tasks and in

predicting three-dimensional objects from a two-dimensional perspective. Aptitudes and Attitudes Based on studies, there is a statistically significant difference in the aptitudes and attitudes exhibited by the different sexes. It must be understood however, that all kinds of talents and behaviors can exist normally in both males and females. At infancy, baby boys can raise their heads higher but baby girls smile earlier and more often even in sleep. As they grow older, boys are less fearful, more active and cling less to their moms. Baby girls are less exploratory, learn to talk early and usually make friends more easily. Girls have good motor control of their hands and hence have better penmanship than boys. Boys have good hand-eye coordination hence can control movements involving large groups of muscles better than girls. In general, more men excel at solving mathematical problems in school but more women excel in tests of grammar and spelling. Men can mentally rotate objects in space and can estimate measurements of size and distance more accurately than women. Women can better sense emotional messages in conversations, facial expressions and body movement. Women have better peripheral and night vision but men can see more clearly in bright light. Women have keener sense of smell, taste and hearing. Men have a better sense of direction and can easily locate places using a map. Why are there differences Humans exhibit two biological sexes or gender namely, male and female. Aside from biological gender, there are also other expressions of gender differences such as gender

identity and sexual orientation. While biological gender is largely genetic, gender identity and sexual orientation are believed to be largely influenced by social and cultural environment. This remains an issue for debate. Gender identity is a personal knowledge and recognition of the self as male or female. Sexual orientation refers to whether one is attracted to a male or a female. There are some researchers who believe that like biological gender, gender identity and sexual orientation are determined at conception and are controlled at specific centers of the brain. Differences between males and females begin during pregnancy. The kind and amount of sex hormones present during pregnancy translate into structural and organizational differences between male and female brains. Mothers produce the female sex hormone estrogen while the testes of male fetuses produce testosterone. The amount of hormones and the sustained production of these hormones affect the sexual development of the embryos. Estrogen from the mother influences the development of the female sex organ and the female brain. Testosterone produced by the testes of the male fetus overcomes the maternal estrogen and promotes the development of the male brain. If testosterone levels are not sustained, a male fetus may develop male sex organs but may not have sufficient testosterone to develop a male brain pattern. This is believed to be one reason why some biological males experience conflicts in gender identity and sexual orientation. Females may also experience gender conflicts. This on the other

hand, may be a result of accidental exposure to high levels of testosterone produced in the adrenal glands of the mother or of the fetus at conception. Lessons to Learn Knowing the structural and functional differences between the sexes can help us better understand ourselves. Hopefully, we will become more aware of our aptitudes and attitudes so that we can exert deliberate efforts to overcome our difficulties and enhance our strengths. At the same time, we can better appreciate why we look and behave differently from the opposite sex. Moreover, we can be more compassionate and less judgmental for Division Forebrain Main Parts Cerebrum Limbic system Thalamus

people who experience conflicts in their biological gender, gender identity and sexual orientation. After all, we all share the same need, to be accepted for who we are and to be recognized as a contributing and useful member of our society. References
Benjamin, C., Garman, G. and Feinston, J. Human Biology. Gadpaille, W. J. 1995. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Raven, P.H. and Johnson, G.B. 1998. Understanding Biology. WCB Publishers, Ubuque. Ripich, D. Case Western Reserve University)

Table 1. The Major Divisions of the Human Brain

Hypothalamus Pituitary gland

Pineal gland

Reticular formation Midbrain Hindbrain Pons Cerebellum

Medulla oblongata

Function Coordinating center, sensory association, memory Responsible for deep-seated, unconscious drives and emotions Coordinating center and relay station for sensory and motor signals Regulates body temperature, solute-water balance, respiration and breathing; directs hormone-producing pituitary gland Master endocrine gland; controls growth, metabolism and hormone production of other glands of endocrine system Endocrine gland that secretes melatonin; as lightsensing organ, it controls circadian rhythms in reproductive function Regulatory function of accenting sensory information when awake and dampening them during sleep Coordinates and relays visual (sight) and auditory (hearing) information Transverse connections with cerebrum, also connects forebrain and spinal cord. Coordinates motor activities for refined body movement; maintains posture, orientation in space and balance Reflex centers involve in respiration, cardiovascular functions and gastric secretions

Figure 1. Main Parts of the Human Brain

Figure 2. The four lobes of each cerebral hemisphere of the brain