Men and women are not alike according to recent scientific studies.
Let us read the following article….….
Recent scientists are saying that all old theories and researches were wrong about the belief that woman’s brain is the same as man’s brain.
All recent studies prove that they are not the same and researchers had reached this conclusion by using Magnetic resonance imaging technology.
One of those scientists is Lawrence Summers, the president of Harvard University who suggested that innate differences in the build of the male and female brain might be one factor underlying the relative scarcity of women in science. His remarks reignited a debate that has been smoldering for a century, ever since some scientists sizing up the brains of both sexes began using their main finding–that female brains tend to be smaller–to bolster the view that women are intellectually inferior to men.
Men and Women Differ In Brain Use during Same Tasks
New research from the University of Alberta shows that men and women utilize different parts of their brains while they perform the same tasks. The results of the research are reported in the journal Neuroimaging.
The study involved volunteers who performed memory tasks, verbal tasks, visual spatial tasks and simple motor tasks while their brain activity was monitored with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) technology.
“The results jumped out at us,” said Emily Bell, a U of A PhD student in psychiatry and lead author of the paper “Sometimes males and females would perform the same tasks and show different brain activation, and sometimes they would perform different tasks and show the same brain activation.”
“It is widely recognized that there are differences between males and females, but finding that different regions of the brain are activated in men and women in response to the same task has large potential implications for a variety of different clinical situations,” said Dr. Peter Silverstone, a psychiatrist at the U of A and an author of the study.
Silverstone cited the psychiatric condition of major depression as an example of the psychological differences between men and women, because twice as many women as men have this condition. He added that there are many other psychiatric conditions in which the male and female ratio is not equal or in which males and females show different symptoms and different profiles for the same conditions.
“The larger implications of this work, as well as other work pointing in the same direction, is that we may increasingly find out that there are differences in the ‘hard wiring’ of male and female brains.” Said Silverstone
Even at rest, men’s and women’s brains behave differently
Also, Larry Cahill, an associate professor of neurobiology and behavior, and Lisa Kilpatrick, a former postdoctoral fellow have found that the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure found on both sides of the brain, behaves very differently in males and females while the subjects are at rest.
In men, the right amygdala is more active and shows more connections with other regions of the brain, even when there is no outside stimulus. Conversely, in women, the left amygdala is more connected with other regions of the brain. In addition, the regions of the brain with which the amygdala communicates while a subject is at rest are different in men and women.
Hence those scientists believe that the finding could be a key to determining why gender-related differences exist in certain psychiatric disorders and how to treat a variety of illnesses.
“These findings are intriguing because they provide the first hint of what could be a fundamental difference in how the brain is wired in men and women,” said Cahill
“If, even in a resting state, the brain shows such differences between the sexes, it could have far-reaching implications for our study of certain psychiatric and medical disorders.” He added.
In the said study, researchers used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans to analyze the brains of 72 healthy, right-handed adults (36 men and 36 women). The subjects were instructed to relax with their eyes closed while being scanned. When the scans were later studied, researchers found that not only was there a difference between the men and women as to which hemisphere’s amygdala was more active, but also that the regions of the brain that the amygdala “talked” with were also quite different. In men, the right-hemisphere amygdala showed more connectivity with brain regions such as the visual cortex and the striatum. In contrast, the left amygdala in women was more connected to regions such as the insular cortex and the hypothalamus.
Scientists believe that the finding led to an unexpected discovery: Many brain areas communicating with the amygdala in men are engaged with and responding to the external environment. For example, the visual cortex is responsible for vision, while the striatum coordinates motor actions. Conversely, many regions connected to the left-hemisphere amygdala in women control aspects of the environment within the body. Both the insular cortex and the hypothalamus, for example, receive strong input from the sensors inside the body.
“Throughout evolution, women have had to deal with a number of internal stressors, such as childbirth, that men haven’t had to experience” Cahill said. “What is fascinating about this is the brain seems to have evolved to be in tune with those different stressors.” He added.
Before moving to the next point we have to comment on the talks of DR Cahill in the previous phrase, Allah Almighty told us 1400 years ago about what DR/ Cahill and the rest of scientists say on the tongue of prophet Moses as He Almighty says :( [Musa (Moses)] said: “Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.”){Sûrat Tâ-Hâ-verse50}.
This means that Allah Almighty the creator of all creatures gave the suitable capabilities for each creature to perform the assigned task in an appropriate way. Glory to Allah!!!!!!!!
The main ten differences between brain of men and women
Experts have identified ten differences between the brain of men and brain of women as the following:
- Human relationships.
As women tend to communicate more effectively than men, focusing on how to create a solution that works for the group, talking through issues, and utilizes non-verbal cues such as tone, emotion, and empathy whereas men tend to be more task-oriented, less talkative, and more isolated.
- Left brain vs. both hemispheres.
As Men tend to process better in the left hemisphere of the brain while women tend to process equally well between the two hemispheres. This difference explains why men are generally stronger with left-brain activities and approach problem-solving from a task-oriented perspective while women typically solve problems more creatively and are more aware of feelings while communicating.
- Mathematical abilities.
An area of the brain called the inferior-parietal lobule (IPL) is typically significantly larger in men, especially on the left side, than in women. This section of the brain is thought to control mental mathematical ability, and probably explains why men frequently perform higher in mathematical tasks than do women.
- Reaction to stress.
Men tend to have a “fight or flight” response to stress situations while women seem to approach these situations with a “tend and befriend” strategy.
- Language
Two sections of the brain responsible for language were found to be larger in women than in men, indicating one reason that women typically excel in language-based subjects and in language-associated thinking. Men process language in their dominant hemisphere, whereas women process language in both hemispheres.
- Emotions
Women typically have a larger deep limbic system than men, which allows them to be more in touch with their feelings and better able to express them, which promotes bonding with others. Because of this ability to connect, more women serve as caregivers for children.
- Brain size
Typically, men’s brains are 11-12% bigger than women’s brains. This size difference has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence, but is explained by the difference in physical size between men and women. Men need more neurons to control their greater muscle mass and larger body size, thus generally have a larger brain.
- Pain
Men and women perceive pain differently. In studies, women require more morphine than men to reach the same level of pain reduction. Women are also more likely to vocalize their pain and to seek treatment for their pain than are men. The area of the brain that is activated during pain is the amygdala, and researchers have discovered that in men, the right amygdala is activated and in women, the left amygdala is activated.
The right amygdala has more connections with areas of the brain that control external functions while the right amygdala has more connections with internal functions. This difference probably explains why women perceive pain more intensely than do men.
- Spatial ability
Men typically have stronger spatial abilities, or being able to mentally represent a shape and its dynamics, whereas women typically struggle in this area. Medical experts have discovered that women have a thicker parietal region of the brain, which hinders the ability to mentally rotate objects–an aspect of spatial ability. Research has shown this ability in babies as young as 5 months old, negating any ideas that these abilities were strengthened by environmental influences.
- Susceptibility to disorders
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.
Man and woman are not alike in Qur’an and Sunnah
Glory to Allah Almighty as He told us about these differences from 1400 years but in a concise statement as He Almighty says: (And the male is not like the female){Sûrat Al-Imrân – The Family of Imran- verse 36}.
Here, we have to confirm that these differences are not distinguishing man over woman as both of them have a task and he or she must perform the task according to the given abilities.
We have to remember the holy verse as Allah Almighty says about that: (Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other) {Sûrat An-Nisâ’- The Women –verse34}.
But, He Almighty gave women a magnificent advantage over men as He Almighty enjoined man to be dutiful and kind to his parents especially the mother. He Almighty says: (And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship and she brings him forth with hardship, and the bearing of him){ Sûrat Al-Ahqâf – The Curved Sand-hills -verse15}.
Also the prophet advice men to care about women by saying: “Allah Almighty Recommends to you to take care of your mothers, and then to take care of your fathers and then the closest to you” [narrated by AL- Bukhari].also in another Hadith one day a man asked the prophet” who is the best one to be a closer friend to me? The prophet answered your mother, and the man asked who else? The prophet said your mother and then the man said who else? The prophet said your mother and the man said who else? The prophet said your father” {narrated by Abi- Horraira}.
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By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel
References:
- http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=his-brain-her-brain
- http://www.physorg.com/news63301200.html
- http://www.rainbowskill.com/health-secrets/health/brain-care.php
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051201165615.htm
- http://www.mastersofhealthcare.com/blog/2009/10-big-differences-between-mens-and-womens-brains/
