The Female Brain

Every brain begins as a female brain. It only becomes male eight weeks after conception, when excess testosterone shrinks the communications center, reduces the hearing cortex, and makes the part of the brain that processes sex twice as large.

Louann Brizendine, M.D. is a pioneering neuropsychiatrist who brings together the latest findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and who they'll love. Brizendine reveals the neurological explanations behind why

• A woman uses about 20,000 words per day while a man uses about 7,000
• A woman remembers fights that a man insists never happened
• A teen girl is so obsessed with her looks and talking on the phone
• Thoughts about sex enter a woman's brain once every couple of days but enter a man's brain about once every minute
• A woman knows what people are feeling, while a man can't spot an emotion unless somebody cries or threatens bodily harm
• A woman over 50 is more likely to initiate divorce than a man

Women will come away from this book knowing that they have a lean, mean communicating machine. Men will develop a serious case of brain envy.

"This comprehensive new look at the hormonal roller coaster that rules women's lives down to the cellular level, 'a user's guide to new research about the female brain and the neurobehavioral systems that make us women,' offers a trove of information, as well as some stunning insights. Though referenced like a work of research, Brizedine's writing style is fully accessible. Brizendine provides a fascinating look at the life cycle of the female brain from birth ('baby girls will connect emotionally in ways that baby boys don't') to birthing ('Motherhood changes you because it literally alters a woman's brain-structurally, functionally, and in many ways, irreversibly') to menopause (when 'the female brain is nowhere near ready to retire') and beyond. At the same time, Brizedine is not above reviewing the basics: 'We may think we're a lot more sophisticated than Fred or Wilma Flintstone, but our basic mental outlook and equipment are the same.' While this book will be of interest to anyone who wonders why men and women are so different, it will be particularly useful for women and parents of girls." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Finally, a satisfying answer to Freud's question, 'What does a woman want?' Louann Brizendine has done a great favor for every man who wants to understand the puzzling women in his life. A breezy and enlightening guide to women — and a must-read for men." Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence

"Sassy, witty, reassuring, and great fun. All women — and the men who love them — should read this book." Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of The Wisdom of Menopause

"An eye-opening account of the biological foundations of human behavior. Destined to become a classic in the field of gender studies." Marilyn Yalom, author of A History of the Breast

"The author's greatest gift to her readers is the way she takes us through the stages of a woman's life to show the influence of hormone levels on every decision. It's not just a matter of biology...but also of how biology affects perception and our ability to function." Los Angeles Times

"Brizendine brazenly promotes politically incorrect concepts." St. Petersburg Times

In response to an observed need for information on the female mind, Brizendine (neuropsychiatry, U. of California, San Francisco) established the first clinic in the US to study women's brain structure, function and mood. This volume combines two decades of Brizendine's neurobiological research, real-life stories from her clinical practice, and all the latest information from the scientific community to provide a comprehensive look at the unique mechanics of the female brain.
Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

In response to an observed need for information on the female mind, Brizendine (neuropsychiatry, U. of California, San Francisco) established the first clinic in the US to study women's brain structure, function and mood. This volume combines two decades of Brizendine's neurobiological research, real-life stories from her clinical practice, and all the latest information from the scientific community to provide a comprehensive look at the unique mechanics of the female brain. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

While doing research as a medical student at Yale and then as a resident and faculty member at Harvard, Louann Brizendine discovered that almost all of the clinical data in existence on neurology, psychology, and neurobiology focused exclusively on males. In response to the overwhelming need for information on the female mind, Brizendine established the first clinic in the country to study and treat women’s brain function. At the same time, The National Institutes of Health began including female subjects in almost all of its studies for the first time. The result has been an explosion of new data on the female brain in recent years.

In The Female Brain, Dr. Brizendine distills all of this information in a highly accessible way in order to educate women about their unique brain-body-behavior. For instance, why are women more verbal than men? Why do women remember details of fights that men can’t remember at all? Why do women tend to form deeper bonds with their female friends than men do with their male counterparts? Dr. Brizendine explores these questions and many others that have stumped the sexes throughout the ages.

This revolutionary book combines two decades of Brizendine’s own work, real-life stories from her clinical practice, and all of the latest information from the scientific community at large to provide a truly comprehensive look at the way women’s minds work.

Every brain begins as a female brain. It only becomes male eight weeks after conception, when excess testosterone shrinks the communications center, reduces the hearing cortex, and makes the part of the brain that processes sex twice as large.

Louann Brizendine, M.D. is a pioneering neuropsychiatrist who brings together the latest findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and whom theyll love. Brizendine reveals the neurological explanations behind why

• A woman remembers fights that a man insists never happened

• A teen girl is so obsessed with her looks and talking on the phone

• Thoughts about sex enter a womans brain once every couple of days but enter a mans brain about once every minute

• A woman knows what people are feeling, while a man cant spot an emotion unless somebody cries or threatens bodily harm

• A woman over 50 is more likely to initiate divorce than a man

Women will come away from this book knowing that they have a lean, mean communicating machine. Men will develop a serious case of brain envy.

Louann Brizendine, M.D., a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, is the founder of the Womens and Teen Girls Mood and Hormone Clinic. She was previously on faculty at the Harvard Medical School and is a graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine and the University of California, Berkeley, in neurobiology. She has written in professional texts and journals, and she lectures widely to the public and in the media on the female brain. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and son.