
Sex and the Developing Brain
Second Edition
Margaret M. McCarthy(Author)
Morgan & Claypool Publishers
2nd Edition
Published on 31. August 2017
Book
Hardback
141 pages
978-1-61504-769-7 (ISBN)
Description
The brains of males and females, men and women, are different, that is a fact. What is debated is how different and how important are those differences. Sex differences in the brain are determined by genetics, hormones, and experience, which in humans includes culture, society, and parental and peer expectations. The importance of nonbiological variables to sex differences in humans is paramount, making it difficult if not impossible to parse out those contributions that are truly biological. The study of animals provides us the opportunity to understand the magnitude and scope of biologically based sex differences in the brain, and understanding the cellular mechanisms provides us insight into novel sources of brain plasticity. Many sex differences are established during a developmental sensitive window by differences in the hormonal milieu of males versus females. The neonatal testis produces large amounts of testosterone which gains access to the brain and is further metabolized into active androgens and estrogens which modify brain development. Major parameters that are influenced by hormones include neurogenesis, cell death, neurochemical phenotype, axonal and dendritic growth, and synaptogenesis. Variance in these parameters results in sex differences in the size of particular brain regions, the projections between brain regions, and the number and type of synapses within particular brain regions. The cellular mechanisms are both region and endpoint specific and invoke many surprising systems such as prostaglandins, endocannabinoids, and cell death proteins. Epigenetic modifications to the genome both establish and maintain sex differences in the brain and behavior. By understanding when, why, and how sex differences in the brain are established, we may also learn the source of strong gender biases in the relative risk and severity of numerous neurological diseases and disorders of mental health. Boys are much more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum or attention and hyperactivity disorders, as well as speech and language deficits, compared to girls. By contrast, women are more likely to suffer from affective disorders, such as depression, anxiety, compulsion, and eating disorders and more likely to experience autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders. Schizophrenia with an early onset is more common in males but a late-onset version is markedly more frequent in females. Male biased disorders have origins in development while female biased disorders are almost exclusively post-puberty. This remarkable shift in disease risk demands our attention. Novel insights into the biological origins of disease are also gained by comparing and contrasting the same processes in different sexes.
More details
Series
Edition
2nd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
San Rafael
United States
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 196 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
491 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-61504-769-7 (9781615047697)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Content
- Preface
- Introduction
- Sex Differences in Brain and Behavior in Context
- Sex Determination versus Sex Differentiation
- Masculinization, Feminization, and Defeminization
- Steroid Hormones are Potent Modulators of Brain Development
- Sex Differences in the Brain are Established During a Developmental Sensitive Window
- Sex Differences in Reproductive Physiology and Behavior are Coordinated
- Steroids Influence Multiple Endpoints via Multiple Mechanisms to Organize the Brain
- Cellular Mechanisms of Steroid-Mediated Organization of the Brain
- Ultrasonic Vocalizations Differ in Neonatal Males and Females Because of a Gene Called FoxP2
- Overcoming the Hegemony of Hormones: Genes Matter Too
- Winged Messengers: Lessons from Birds and Flies
- Sexual Differentiation of the Primate Brain
- Sexual Differentiation of the Human Brain
- Imaging Studies Give Insight Into Brain Sex Differences
- Steroids and Human Brain Development
- The Value of Understanding the Effect of Sex on the Developing Brain
- Bibliography
- Classic References
- Author Biography
- Introduction
- Sex Differences in Brain and Behavior in Context
- Sex Determination versus Sex Differentiation
- Masculinization, Feminization, and Defeminization
- Steroid Hormones are Potent Modulators of Brain Development
- Sex Differences in the Brain are Established During a Developmental Sensitive Window
- Sex Differences in Reproductive Physiology and Behavior are Coordinated
- Steroids Influence Multiple Endpoints via Multiple Mechanisms to Organize the Brain
- Cellular Mechanisms of Steroid-Mediated Organization of the Brain
- Ultrasonic Vocalizations Differ in Neonatal Males and Females Because of a Gene Called FoxP2
- Overcoming the Hegemony of Hormones: Genes Matter Too
- Winged Messengers: Lessons from Birds and Flies
- Sexual Differentiation of the Primate Brain
- Sexual Differentiation of the Human Brain
- Imaging Studies Give Insight Into Brain Sex Differences
- Steroids and Human Brain Development
- The Value of Understanding the Effect of Sex on the Developing Brain
- Bibliography
- Classic References
- Author Biography