Big Differences Found in Male, Female Brains

The brains of men and women are so physically different they amount to different organs and may have developed from distinct genetic blueprints, new research shows. Distinct anatomical differences between male and female brains likely explain many well-established differences of perception and behavior between the sexes, from problem-solving strategies to emotional responses, the Independent reports.

One study found that parts of the frontal lobe—seat of decision-making and problem-solving—and the emotion-regulating limbic cortex were proportionally larger in women. Brain areas in men that are larger involve sites linked to sensory and spatial perception. One reason such key differences have remained largely undetected is that most neurological research uses only men and male animals as subjects. (More male brain stories.)