According to Louann Brizendine, 'The female Brain', 2006, the male brain is about nine percent larger than the female. In fact, women and men have the same number of brain cells, but the woman's is more tightly packed into the skull.
In the areas of the brain dealing with language and hearing, women have a full 11% more neurons than men, and the part of the brain associated with memory, the hippocampus, is also larger in women. The circuitry for observing emotion on other people's faces is again larger compared to the male. In relation to speech, emotional intelligence and the ability to store rich memory, women have a natural advantage.
Men on the other hand, have more processors in the amygdala, a part of the brain which regulates fear and aggression. The female brain experiences greater stress over the same event as a man's and this stress is a way of taking account of all possible risks to her children or family unit.
Women use different parts of the brain and different circuits than men to accomplish the same tasks, including solving problems, processing, language and generally experiencing the world.
Women have better immune systems than men. Estrogen gives women a better natural defense systems against bacteria and viruses, according to a study at McGill University
FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCES
Men and women differ in the way they think!!!...
They differ in use of different parts of the brain to encode memories, sense emotions, recognize faces, solve certain problems and make decisions.
Functional differences (Male Brain)
Predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems. Value more for power, politics and competition. When listening, neurons on only one side of the brain are activated.
In interpretation of whole sentences, men use one side of brain.
In stress, increased blood flow to the right prefrontal cortex, responsible for "fight or flight". Male tend to be more logical emotionally. Men navigate by using abstract concepts such as north and south or distances.
In play, engage in more rough-and tumble play, Aggression, show more "direct" aggression such as pushing, hitting & punching. Better at visual spatial abilities, quantitative problem solving, mental rotation and spatial perception.
Tend to be better in independence, dominance, spatial & mathematical skills, rank-related aggression.
Functional differences (Female Brain)
Predominantly hard-wired for empathy. Value the development of altruistic, reciprocal relationships.
While listening, neurons on both sides of the brain are activated. In interpretation, women use both sides of the brain.
There is increased blood to limbic system which is associated with nurturing & friendly response.
Women tend to be more observant. Women navigate by talking about landmarks and things that can be seen or heard.
Engage in more nurturing games, show more "indirect" (or "relational") aggression. Better in verbal memory tasks, verbal fluency tasks & in speed of articulation.
Show greater concern through more sad looks, sympathetic vocalizations and comforting.
Women were observed to show more comfort, even to strangers. can think logically and emotionally at the same time.
Emotions (Women)
Faster and more accurate at identifying emotions. Better at controlling their emotions.
More adept in encoding facial differences & changing vocal intonations.>Part of brain involved is large, use both hemispheres.
BIOCHEMICAL DIFFERENCES
Biochemically heterogeneous in regard to sex and brain region. Seen mainly in the sensorimotor cortex and orbital frontal cortex. Functional brain studies indicate sex differences in brain metabolism.
Differences in Brain Maturation & Aging
The brains of men and women are indeed different from birth. But differences are subtle and might be found only among the synapses in brain structures.
MRI analysis suggest that females brain mature earlier than males brain.
Males age 6-17 years have been shown to display more prominent age-related decreases in grey matter and increases in white matter than females.
Adolescents' brains undergo a substantial "pruning" or reduction in grey matter volume, this happens 2 years earlier in females.
Girls reach puberty two years earlier than boys.
Conclusion
Male & female brains show anatomical, functional and biochemical differences in all stages of life.
References
Louann Brizendine. (2006). "The female Brain". New York, NY: Morgan Road Books.
Gini A, Larrivee D, Farisco M, Sironi VA Neuroscience and Neuroeconomics 2015, 4:1-10.
Thomas GP, Jobst BC Medical Devices: Evidence and Research 2015, 8:405-411.
Vilotti S, Fabbretti E, Nistri. (2015). A Journal of Receptor, Ligand and Channel Research, 8:31-41.
Bryukhovetskiy. (2015). A Journal of Neurorestoratology, 3:39-55.
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