The Female Brain, Second Edition (Conceptual Advances in Brain Research) PDF
Preview The Female Brain, Second Edition (Conceptual Advances in Brain Research)
The Female Brain Second Edition Cynthia Darlington Boca Raton London New York CRC Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300 Boca Raton, FL 33487‑2742 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U.S. Government works Printed in the United States of America on acid‑free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number‑13: 978‑1‑4200‑7744‑5 (Hardcover) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher can‑ not assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. 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CCC is a not‑for‑profit organization that pro‑ vides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data Darlington, Cynthia L. The female brain / Cynthia Darlington. ‑‑ 2nd ed. p. ; cm. ‑‑ (Conceptual advances in brain research) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978‑1‑4200‑7744‑5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Brain. 2. Women‑‑Physiology. 3. Sex differences. 4. Neuroendocrinology. I. Title. II. Series: Conceptual advances in brain research (unnumbered) [DNLM: 1. Brain‑‑physiology. 2. Hormones‑‑pharmacokinetics. 3. Psychophysiology. 4. Sex Characteristics. 5. Sex Factors. 6. Women‑‑psychology. WL 300 D221f 2009] QP376.D37 2009 612.8’2‑‑dc22 2009009973 Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at http://www.taylorandfrancis.com and the CRC Press Web site at http://www.crcpress.com © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC For Tim. Everyone needs a hero. You are mine. Contents Preface .................................................................................................................xi The Author ......................................................................................................xiii Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................1 The male and his muse ......................................................................................1 The background .......................................................................................3 Hormones .................................................................................................3 The central nervous system ....................................................................8 Interactions between hormones and neurotransmitters ..................21 Neuroscience methods ..........................................................................21 The rules ............................................................................................................22 Bibliography and recommended readings ...................................................24 Chapter 2 A historical perspective ...........................................................27 The rise of modern science .............................................................................31 Conclusions .......................................................................................................36 Bibliography and recommended readings ...................................................36 Chapter 3 Brain structure: The architecture of difference ..................39 Development of the brain ...............................................................................40 Sexual dimorphism in the CNS ......................................................................42 Regional differences .........................................................................................46 Evidence from other species ...........................................................................51 Structural changes in the adult brain ............................................................54 Conclusions .......................................................................................................54 Bibliography and recommended readings ...................................................56 Chapter 4 Functional differences: Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators .......................................................................59 Estrogen, progesterone, androgens, and their receptors in the CNS ..........60 Methods for identifying receptors in the CNS .............................................61 Estrogen receptors ............................................................................................62 viii Contents Progesterone receptors ....................................................................................64 “The knockout model” ....................................................................................65 GABA .................................................................................................................66 Serotonin............................................................................................................68 Dopamine ..........................................................................................................70 Cannabinoids ....................................................................................................75 Measures of global function ...........................................................................76 Evidence from EEG studies ............................................................................81 Evidence from evoked potential studies ......................................................83 Evidence from scan studies ............................................................................84 Conclusions .......................................................................................................86 Bibliography and recommended readings ...................................................86 Chapter 5 Perception and cognition .........................................................91 IQ: When is a difference not a difference? ....................................................93 Visual perception..............................................................................................96 Color: Perception and preference ................................................................106 Auditory perception ......................................................................................107 The senses of smell and taste ........................................................................108 A word about touch .......................................................................................112 Numbers and sums ........................................................................................112 Memory ............................................................................................................113 Conclusions ......................................................................................................119 Bibliography and recommended readings .................................................120 Chapter 6 Laterality ...................................................................................125 Parallel processing and hemispheric advantage .......................................126 Understanding language ..............................................................................128 Emotion and laterality ...................................................................................135 Laterality, the menstrual cycle, and hemispheric advantage...................137 Two theoretical perspectives on laterality ..................................................139 Conclusions .....................................................................................................144 Bibliography and recommended readings .................................................146 Chapter 7 Neurology, psychiatry, and the female brain ....................149 Neurology .......................................................................................................149 Chronic headaches ...............................................................................150 Stroke... ..................................................................................................151 Chronic pain .........................................................................................151 Stress.... ..................................................................................................152 Sleep..... ..................................................................................................155 Multiple sclerosis .................................................................................156 Epilepsy .................................................................................................163 Contents ix Parkinson’s disease ..............................................................................166 Alzheimer’s disease and aging ..........................................................169 Psychiatry ........................................................................................................172 Depression ............................................................................................172 Anxiety ...................................................................................................176 Schizophrenia .......................................................................................178 Conclusions .....................................................................................................184 Bibliography and recommended readings .................................................185 Chapter 8 Drugs and drug effects ..........................................................193 Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics ...............................................195 Drug entry into the CNS ...............................................................................198 Drug administration in pregnancy and lactation ......................................199 Drug treatment of neurological disorders ..................................................200 Pain and analgesia ...............................................................................200 Migraine ................................................................................................201 Neurodegeneration .............................................................................201 Parkinson’s disease ..............................................................................205 Alzheimer’s disease ............................................................................206 Multiple sclerosis .................................................................................208 Epilepsy .................................................................................................208 Drug treatment of psychiatric disorders .....................................................210 Anxiety ..................................................................................................210 Depression .............................................................................................216 Psychosis ...............................................................................................219 The nontherapeutic use of drugs .................................................................221 Conclusions .....................................................................................................225 Bibliography and recommended readings .................................................226 Chapter 9 Into the twenty-first century .................................................233 The story to date .............................................................................................234 Pregnancy and the brain ...............................................................................237 Instructions for using the female brain .......................................................237 Pursuing the future ........................................................................................238 Changing the outcomes .................................................................................240 Bibliography and references .........................................................................242 Index ................................................................................................................243
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