Posted by SLS on February 17, 2001, at 16:25:51
In reply to Re: gender differences , posted by shellie on February 17, 2001, at 14:04:33
Hi Shellie.
> I also recognize that environment plays some role, but the more brain work that is done, the more evidence there is for genetic differences.
How true.
Just a technical point. The sexual dimorphism (gender differences) between brains is not so much genetic as it is epigenetic. In other words, both brains start out identical during fetal development. At some critical point, males experience a surge of testosterone and dehydrotestosterone secreted by the adrenal glands. When the male brain (and other things) are subject to these male hormones, their development is altered. If this surge of androgens does NOT occur within the critical period, a genetic male will be born a morphological female. I'm sure things are more complex than this, though.
The gender differences between brains have been recognized for many, many years. It is fact.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:54234
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010212/msgs/54272.html