Description
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Female Brain Second Edition 2009 Edition by Cynthia L. Darlington
The first edition of The Female Brain laid the groundwork for gaining a better understanding of the female brain, examining the evidence for structural and functional differences between the brains of males and females. Addressing a wealth of new research, the second edition continues in this vein, leading readers through the basic principles of anatomy and physiology and on to the complex behavioral functions which constitute the workings of the normal and abnormal female brain.Examines Questions about Structural and Functional DifferencesThe book addresses the question of structural and functional differences between the female brain and the male brain. Are there differences? How good is the evidence? Where do the differences lie? Are there differences in the neuroanatomy of females, and if so, where? Do females and males process information differently, and if so, how? The author puts the relative lack of information on the female brain into historical perspective and reviews empirical evidence relevant to the different aspects of brain structure and function. She elucidates laterality, the functional asymmetry of the brain, the left brain-right brain distinctions, and how they differ between females and males.A Clear Presentation and Evaluation of Medical and Scientific EvidenceFilled with rigorous scientific analysis in an easily accessible format and detailed explanatory diagrams, the book systematically develops the topic from anatomy to behavior. It draws on current research to explain why men and women behave differently and why these differences should be exploited when designing research and clinical studies. IntroductionThe Male and His MuseThe RulesBibliography and Recommended ReadingsA Historical PerspectiveThe Rise of Modern ScienceConclusionsBibliography and Recommended ReadingsBrain Structure: The Architecture of DifferenceDevelopment of the BrainSexual Dimorphism in the CNSRegional DifferencesEvidence from Other SpeciesStructural Changes in the Adult BrainConclusionsBibliography and Recommended ReadingsFunctional Differences: Neurotransmitters andNeuromodulatorsEstrogen, Progesterone, Androgens, and Their Receptors in the CNSMethods for Identifying Receptors in the CNSEstrogen ReceptorsProgesterone Receptors"The Knockout Model"GABA.SerotoninDopamineCannabinoidsMeasures of Global FunctionEvidence from EEG StudiesEvidence from Evoked Potential StudiesEvidence from Scan StudiesConclusionsBibliography and Recommended ReadingsPerception and CognitionIQ: When Is a Difference Not a Difference?Visual PerceptionColor: Perception and PreferenceAuditory PerceptionThe Senses of Smell and TasteA Word about TouchNumbers and SumsMemoryConclusionsBibliography and Recommended ReadingsLateralityParallel Processing and Hemispheric AdvantageUnderstanding LanguageEmotion and LateralityLaterality, the Menstrual Cycle, and Hemispheric AdvantageTwo Theoretical Perspectives on LateralityBibliography and Recommended ReadingsNeurology, Psychiatry, and the Female BrainNeurologyPsychiatryConclusionsBibliography and Recommended ReadingsDrugs and Drug EffectsPharmacokinetics and PharmacodynamicsDrug Entry into the CNSDrug Administration in Pregnancy and LactationDrug Treatment of Neurological DisordersDrug Treatment of Psychiatric DisordersThe Non-Therapeutic Use of DrugsConclusionsBibliography and Recommended ReadingsInto the Twenty-First CenturyThe Story to DatePregnancy and the BrainInstructions for Using the Female BrainPursuing the FutureChanging the OutcomesBibliography and ReferencesIndex