Male and Female - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Male and Female Brain Functioning: Left Brain and Right Brain

Stephen Bavolek, Ph.D.

Birth and Beyond Program

Sacramento, California

February, 2012Slide2

Brain is made up of five major parts:Brainstem: Fully developed at Birth. Brainstem is responsible for functions such as blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature. The brainstem must be fully functional at birth for the baby to survive.

Brain DevelopmentSlide3

Controls a person’s automatic movements and balance: dancing, kicking a football and bringing a cup to your lips to drink are all coordinated by the cerebellumIf the cerebellum is damaged, the brain cannot coordinate movement.

CerebellumSlide4

Controls sleep, arousal responses, appetite and motor movements such as running and skipping.The midbrain is very important for moving.

MidbrainSlide5

Controls emotions and long term memories.Can override rational thoughts and parts of the brain controlled by the brain stem.Part of the limbic system is involved in attaching emotions to memory.

Limbic System Slide6

Executive branch of the brain.Regulates decision making and makes judgments about incoming information.Different region of the cortex are responsible for processing our vision, touch, hearing, speech, language development and problem solving.

Allows us to plan for the future.

CortexSlide7

Nature: Physical traits and genetic predispositions received upon conception.Nature also contains the elements that make us human beings.

Nurture:

the positive or negative influences the environment has on our genetic predispositions.

Nurture

can be positive or negative

.

Nature vs. NurtureSlide8

Neurotransmitters: chemicals that regulate the electrical signals between nerve cells and the brain.Humans are born with 27 billion brain cells.Brain cells connect to form neurological networks which influence many aspects of the cortex.

Brain ChemistrySlide9

Hormones: released by the endocrine system of glands each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the blood stream to regulate the body.Hormones regulate various human functions including metabolism, growth and development, tissue function and mood.

Brain ChemistrySlide10

Oxytocincrucial for maternal behavior; bonds lover to each other; strengthens attachments between parents and their children;

is the anti-stress by reducing anxiety and allowing for relaxation, growth and healing.

i

s necessary for empathy

Common Neurotransmitters

and HormonesSlide11

CortisolHormone released by adrenal glands in response to stress;Can weaken the activity of the immune system;

Increases blood pressure; shuts down the reproductive system.

Other Brain

C

hemicalsSlide12

Testosterone: sex hormone that fuels sexual desire in men and women; hormone of reproduction; stimulates aggressionEstrogen: sex hormone; increases bonding effects of oxytocin in women; hormone of reproductionMelatonin:

controls sleep and wake cycles

Serotonin:

feel good chemical produced by midbrain and brainstem; natural anti-depressant will rise and fall.

Additional Hormones and NTsSlide13

Brain acts in harmony with two nervous systems: Sympathetic

Parasympathetic

Nervous SystemsSlide14

Body’s accelerator; body’s warriorDevelops before parasympathetic system which acts as the body’s brakes

Commands our survival system

Mobilizes our body to flee or fight

Uses cortisol, adrenaline and vasopressin to deliver its message

SympatheticSlide15

Acts as the body’s “brakes;” peacemakerDominant chemical is oxytocin

The anti-stress system

Is dominant in positive nurturing

Involved in self regulation

ParasympatheticSlide16

Right brain and left brain are connected by the corpus callosumEach side of the brain performs specific and common functions.The amount of blood flow to both sides of the brain regulates the cortical activity.

Different of the “

Two Brains”Slide17

Males have more blood flow to the left side of the body hence the designation “male brain.”Females have more blood flow to the right side of the brain increasing cortical activity hence the term “female brain.”“Bridge brains”: males and females who have increased blood flow to opposite cortical areas.

Male, Female and Bridge BrainsSlide18

Left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner; processes from part to whole. Takes pieces lines them up and presents them in logical order.The Right brain processes from whole to parts.

Right brain sees the whole picture first not the details.

Linear

vs

HolisticSlide19

Dominant Left Brain people process

in

sequence; are

list makers; complete tasks in order and checks them

off;

are

good spellers; good at following directions; good at linear sequencing of math problems.

Dominant Right

B

rain

people are random; flit from one task to another; lose track of time being involved in another task; are late turning in

projects

and

need to make lists to keep life in order.

Sequential

vs

Random ProcessingSlide20

Dominant Left brain people easily process symbols; enjoy mathematical and linguistic endeavors; memorize

formulas and

words.

Dominant

Right

brain people want things to be concrete; want to feel and see the real object; may have trouble learning to read using

phonics

and

prefer to see words in context and how a formula works.

Symbolic

vs

Concrete ProcessingSlide21

Dominant Left brain people process in a logical, sequential and linear fashion; use information piece by piece to solve problems; make logical conclusions.Dominant Right

brain people use intuition; may solve a math problem but can’t explain how; have “gut” feeling regarding the right answer.

Logical

vs

Intuitive ProcessingSlide22

Dominant Left brain people have little trouble expressing themself in words; are precise in giving directions using distance: “go two miles, turn left on pine street, then in a half mile………”

Dominant Right brain people

may know what they mean but have difficulty finding the right words; are much less precise in giving directions; use buildings and landmarks rather than

distance: “keep going straight until you reach this outdoor restaurant, then turn by the gas station, then…”

Verbal

vs

Nonverbal ProcessingSlide23

Dominant Left brain people deal with the way things are in reality; adjust to changes in

their environment; want to know the rules and follow them; will make up rules to follow if there aren’t any in place; know

the consequences

of their

actions.

Dominant

Right brain people deal with the way things could be; try

to change the

environment rather than adapt;

generally “bend” the rules; are not aware that there is something wrong; are often

creative.

Reality Based

vs

Fantasy Oriented Slide24

Researchers have long believed male and female brains are different.

Sex hormones begin to exert their influence 26 weeks after conception

.

Corpus

callosum, the

bridge of nerve

tissues

that connects the left and right

brain,

is thicker in girls than

boys allowing for more multitasking in females.

Male and Female Brain FunctioningSlide25

Females have language functioning in both sides of the brain. Males have a smaller corpus callosum resulting in more blood flow to the left side of the brain.As a whole, girls out perform boys in language skills and fine motor skills until puberty.More boys identified with learning disabilities.Slide26

More boys diagnosed with dyslexia than girlsMore boys diagnosed ADHD than girls (lower levels of oxytocin).

Girls with ADHD show difficulty with inattention---boys with impulse control.

Boys better in math and geometry (left side). These areas of the brain mature about four years earlier in boys then girls.Slide27

Language and fine motor skills mature six years earlier in girls then in boys.Men tend to have fight or flight response to stress; estrogen in females tends to enhance oxytocin (anti stress) in

women which facilitates problem solving and compromise skills.

Women have a large thick Limbic system which allows them to be more in touch with their emotions and better able to express

them with their increased use of words.Slide28

Men have smaller tear ducts then women and cry less.Women express their pain more often and are more likely to seek medical care.

Men feel pain the right side of the amygdala which controls external functions; women feel pain on the left side of their amygdala which controls internal functions.

Slide29

Because of the way men and women use the two hemispheres of the brain differently, there are some disorders that men and women are susceptible to in different ways.

Men

are more apt to have dyslexia or other language problems.

If

women have dyslexia, they are more likely to

compensate

for it.

Women

, on the other hand, are more susceptible to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Slide30

While handedness is not a disorder, these brain tendencies also explain why more men are left-handed than are women. Men are also 

more likely to be diagnosed

 with autism, ADHD, and Tourette’s Syndrome

.

Males have an action oriented empathy; females have a feelings oriented empathy.Slide31

Dominance in left and right brain functioning has created stereo-types which can breed discrimination.Most people are “bridge brains” who function equally well using both sides of the brain.Nurture, the type of environment children grow up in, plays a crucial in reinforcing right and left brain dominance.

Differences are the Norm