The brain has no sex

Certain (s) will be delighted (s). Other rather disappointed (e) s. A new study indicates that brain perspective, men are not from Mars, or women from Venus. But rather an intermediate planet hybrid between the two, and still unknown. It was long believed that the brains of men was on average larger than that of women. We now know that this is false. Or at least, that the relationship between body weight and the brain is exactly the same for both sexes. We also know that it is not the number of neurons that matters, but the number and type of connections they establish. And this architecture spider three-dimensional plastic and is likely to change.

The study published in PNAS by Daphna Joel, from the School of Psychology at the University of Tel Aviv, and colleagues shows that "human brains can not be classified into two distinct types, the female brain and male brain. " This is not why there are no differences. There are more "feminine" traits, other more 'male' and finally other "neutral". Each brain is anatomically slightly different, functioning well, inducing different behaviors. Plasticity fact that shapes based on all the elements of our personal history. It is like a mosaic reflection of each course.

"Here we show that, although there are differences between male and female in the brain and behavior, humans and their brains are made up of" mosaic "features, some more prevalent in women compared to men Some conversely, and other present in both written Daphna Joel. Our results demonstrate (...) that the human brain can not be classified into two distinct classes, male or female. "

Researchers sifted recordings of different types of medical imaging performed on more than 1400 people. They analyzed the white matter, gray matter and connections (by the techniques of "connectome", aimed at establishing a comprehensive plan of neuronal connections in the brain). The aim was to identify areas rather "female" or rather "masculine". That the female brain is more "verbal" or slightly less effective for all that concerns the visualization and mental rotation in three dimensions, it has some slightly more developed glands under the action of hormones, it does not change basically gives ...

Catherine Vidal, neurobiologist and member of the ethics committee of Inserm, likes to repeat: "It is impossible to guess, looking at an adult brain, if it belongs to a man or a woman." If brains have large anatomical differences from one individual to another, "the differences between the brains of people of the same sex are far more important than any differences between the sexes."