neurologically and in every other sense except for their reproductive functions. That assumption has been at the heart of enduring misunderstandings about female psychology and physiology."
One point of interest Dr. Brizendine discusses in her book is the many female hormones and the huge role they play in a woman's life. These hormones contribute to massive neurological effects in the brain that vary over certain stages of life. These hormones do a great deal to shape the desires and values of women. They have such a profound effect in fact, that their influence can be said to help create a woman's reality.
Now, this isn't to say that we, as women, have no say in creating our own reality, and that our lives and moods are only determined by our hormones. Actually, this information can help to give us more control than we previously thought we had. The way Dr. Brizendine puts it is: "If you're aware of the fact that a biological brain state is guiding your impulses, you can choose not to act or to act differently that you might feel compelled. But first we have to learn to recognize how the female brain is genetically structured and shaped by evolution, biology, and culture. Without that recognition, biology becomes destiny and we will be helpless in the face of it."
When we realize that our biology is influenced by these hormones, we are then able to prevent them from taking charge and ruling us. "The brain is nothing if not a talented learning machine. Nothing is completely fixed."
The Female Brain explains many of the subtle and not so subtle differences in both male and female brains that help bridge the gap between the way the two sexes might perceive the same thing. For example, every fetus brain starts out unisex, but by the eighth week a huge surge in testosterone distinguishes the brain as male and kills off some of the cells in the communication, observation, and processing of emotion centers while growing more cells in the sex and aggression centers. Females do not experience this testosterone surge so they have a greater potential to develop these centers at birth.
It's important to understand the differences in the male and female brains so that we can have a better understanding of each other. Who doesn't get confused by the opposite sex at least occasionally? Dr. Brizendine's book gives fascinating information about the female brain and how it affects the way women think and act the way they do at different stages of life. Anyone who either has a female brain or would like to better understand one could learn a lot by reading this book. For anyone with a teenage daughter, it should be required!
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