Gender and the Brain: NHS Cut Through Media Hype

If you ever wondered if there was a difference between male and female mental wellness, a new study suggests there might be. The research, published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, pooled the results of 126 studies examining the differences in brain size between men and women, and found that, overall, men had larger brains than women. The results of the study also revealed differences between men and women in the volume of many different regions. Men, for example, tend to have larger volumes in brain regions associated with survival instincts, memory and learning, while women often have larger volumes in areas of the brain dealing with language and emotions.

 

The results of the study, which came from researchers from University of Cambridge and University of Oxford, have many media outlets reporting that men have bigger brains than women, which may imply a certain degree of higher intelligence. However, according to the NHS website, ‘You could make a case that this differing mix of abilities means that it is mutually advantageous for the sexes to co-operate…However the media’s preoccupation with brain size is probably something of a distraction. The link between brain function and brain structure or size is still not clearly understood; so we can’t reliably conclude from this study how the differences in brain size influence physiology or behaviour.’

 

The NHS continue, ‘Gender is influenced by both biological and social factors and it’s not yet clear how these interact to influence behaviour, personality or disease risk…It is also probably simplistic to assume that there is a direct link between brain size and intelligence. It is thought that it is the complexity of the connections between individual brain cells that underpin cognitive ability and not the total amount of brain tissue. For example, elephants have huge brains, weighing around five kilos. And while elephants are certainly bright creatures, renowned for their memory, it would be a bit of stretch to describe them as geniuses.’

 

This study is interesting as it is reportedly one of the first to systematically search the global literature to identify published studies that have examined the differences in brain structure between men and women, and then combine these results in a meta-analysis. However, the NHS website points out that the study ‘finds evidence that men have a slightly larger overall brain volume than women, with a brain size around 8% to 13% greater. This may be a result of their larger general size. They also find differences between men and women in the volume of many different regions.’

 

The NHS add that while the differences found in the brain regions may reinforce some commonly held gender stereotypes about the historical roles of men and women, ‘it would be simplistic to think other factors, such as social pressures and environment, do not also play a role in how each gender may tend to think and behave.’ But what did the researchers say? After examining the results, the researchers were led to conclude that the findings ‘suggest candidate brain regions for investigating the asymmetric effect that sex has on the developing brain, and for understanding sex-biased neurological and psychiatric conditions.’

 

Moreover, the researchers surmised that there may be differences during different stages of your life, such as when your brain develops during childhood and your teens. Still, the NHS warn, ‘This is not possible to say for certain, given that very few studies have been conducted outside of the adult age bracket. Overall this review contributes to the body of studies examining how the different brain structure of men and women may contribute to their propensity to different neurological and mental health conditions. Findings may suggest that both genders work best when they co-operate on a common goal, rather than engaging in a “battle of the sexes”.’

Categories: Brain, brain regions, brain size, brain structure, Differences, Gender, nhs website, Research, size, studies examining, Women

Porn Problems: Is Watching Porn Affecting Your Brain?

Watching pornography isn’t only a sexual health issue; it seeps into your idea of mental wellness. With porn being more readily available than ever before, you can worry about what life in the age of porn is doing to the mental wellbeing of those who watch it – especially if you’re one of those people. Does pornography distort your expectations of sex with real people? Let’s take a look at what the experts say watching porn does to your brain.

 

According to Paul Wright, PhD, an assistant professor at Indiana University who researches the social aspects of sex, a woman’s appearance can give more clues to her ability to reproduce than a man’s can. This may be why men have seemingly evolved to pursue lusty, busty women who are willing to engage in casual sex. However, research out of Emory University shows less of a gender divide in watching porn, albeit still showing a difference in the reasons for men and women liking it. Study author Heather Rupp, PhD, now a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, details, ‘Men prefer novelty, while women are more interested in stable dynamics.’

 

Still, for men, pornography solves somewhat of a primal problem: how to access commitment-free sex with multiple partners. Evolution teaches us that, on some level, a man is more reproductively successful if he has inseminated as many women – ideally young and beautiful i.e. fertile women – as possible. For women, on the other hand, reproductive success is more measured by how much the men they choose are interested in and have the resources for parenting. Wright explains, ‘Men still have instinctual preferences today because those preferences served a reproductive purpose for their ancestors. Men’s modern environment has changed dramatically, but their evolved sexual preferences have not.’

 

When a man watches porn, his physical responses – such as a faster heart rate, increased blood flow and an erection — is preceded by a deeper neurological process. However, scientists who have attempted to capture through brain scans have come out with a wide range of results. William Struthers, PhD, a biopsychologist and the author of Wired for Intimacy, notes, ‘There are so many moving parts in this equation. How old is the man? Is he involved in a sexual relationship? Is he regularly masturbating? People think sex is always the same. It’s not. You look at food very differently when you’re hungry compared with when you’ve just finished a meal.’

 

Nonetheless, there are a few broad themes that consistently emerge from these types of studies. For example, there’s a cognitive component of visual processing, attention, and reward. Struthers clarifies, ‘Pornographic images seem to activate a man’s visual system in a manner that goes beyond just looking at trees or even people. It’s almost like a high-definition signal compared with a standard signal.’ Once this signal hits a man’s antenna, your mesolimbic (reward) system kicks in and gives you a rush of feel-good dopamine – reinforcing your behaviour much in the same way that drugs like cocaine would. Struthers comments, ‘Guys freak out when they think porn might be “rewiring” their brains. The reality is, our brains are regularly being “rewired”—we wouldn’t learn anything otherwise.’

 

The perhaps more troublesome outcome is what occurs after your surge of pleasure: the brain regions tied to motivation become activated, driving you to seek sexual release. Struthers points out, ‘Several brain regions, called the higher cortical component, have to decide, “What’s the best way to deal with this?” The problem is, these cortical systems can shut off—that is, they may receive less blood as the visual and arousal systems become more active. Essentially the decision-making system is turning itself over to the experience; it’s almost like the men are hypnotized. This is the classic male stereotype: When men think with what’s below, they don’t make good decisions.’

Categories: Brain, Brain Activity, brain regions, men, nbsp, Porn, struthers, watching porn, Women