There are many biological differences between men and women that scientists are still learning about. And, while it’s well-known that men and women react differently to certain conditions and medication, the differences between the male and female brain are still relatively unexplored. Recent studies have explored these differences and found that women’s brains age differently than men’s.
Male and Female Brain Differences
Several studies have found some important differences between the male and female brain. For example, a 2014 study found that men are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease and generally get diagnosed with the condition at a younger age than women. The reason for this could be that female hormones can be protective against dopamine loss, which is a key indicator of the disease.
However, that’s not the only difference between our brains. Research suggests that women are more rapidly affected by Alzheimer’s and are more likely to get depression.
Women’s Brains Age Differently than Men’s
Another important difference between male and female brain is that our brains seem to age differently. According to a 2012 study, deep structures in the male brain age quicker than those same structures in women. This could explain why men are more likely to get Parkinson’s.
The study compared the brain structures of 50 women and 53 men and found some interesting differences. For example, women seem to have a larger hippocampus (plays an important role in memory), while caudate nucleus (controls voluntary movements) was larger in men.
The Bottom Line
The discovery that women’s brains age differently than men’s provides us with an interesting insight into how our brains work as we reach late adulthood. This can help doctors with the diagnosis and treatment of age-related brain disorders in the future.
