The neurobiological differences between men and women

Influences of Biological Sex on Brain Function- An issue Whose Time has Come

Prof. Larry Cahill, University of Califoria, Irvine, United States of America

The last 20 years witnessed a true revolution in neuroscience, from widely assuming that fundamental sex influences on brain functions not directly related to reproduction do not exist, to increasingly recognizing that they do indeed exist at literally every level of brain function, down to the genetic level. What is more, our failure to recognize these sex influences must disproportionately harm women. This talk will explore this remarkable revolution, with some special emphasis on Dr. Cahill's own research into the brain mechanisms of emotional memory.

Sex as a biological variable in neurobiological studies

Dr. Jill Becker, Biopsychology Area Chair, University of Michigan / Patricia Y. Gurin Collegiate Professor of Psychology / Research Professor Michigan Neuroscience Institute, United States of America

During development, genetics, hormones, and the environment all act on the brain to influence neuronal growth and connections. This results in sex-dependent development of the brain as an individual interacts with the environment during maturation. Jill Becker will discuss what this means for the brain and for behavior of males and females and the implications for cognitive function. Then, she will consider sex differences in the motivation to take drugs of abuse and drug taking behavior as an example of how these sex and gender differences are expressed.