…the “thinking matter” is consistently higher overall in women than in men. OMG
According to research, the percentage of gray matter, the “thinking matter” is consistently higher overall in women than in men. OMG. But before you women out there who are thinking “I knew it” and are planning to confront your male partner tonight with the dreaded “I told you so,” know this. Men apparently have 6.5 times the amount of gray matter or thinking matter, in the areas of the brain related to intelligence. Women in these same areas relating to intelligence have 10 times more white matter than males. What does this mean?
Are women more intelligent than men because they have a higher overall amount of gray matter? No. Are men more intelligent than women because they have 6.5 times the amount of gray matter in the areas determining intelligence? No. Are women more intelligent than men since they have more white matter in the areas relating to intelligence? No. Do women have more white matter than men as well as more gray matter? No. Men have more white matter overall than women do (which I find counter-intuitive until you look where these two types of tissues are distributed in the brain). More on this later.
…a woman’s brain appears to have a greater ability to make decisions combining rational thought/facts with consideration for others (EMPATHY)
The Frontal Lobes and the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) are the centre of focus, forethought, judgment, organization, planning, impulse control and especially EMPATHY – as I mentioned in the previous episode. A woman’s gray matter in her PFC is balanced with white matter (84 percent of a woman’s gray matter is concentrated in the frontal lobes and it’s balanced by 86 percent of the white matter). So, a woman’s brain appears to have a greater ability to make decisions combining rational thought/facts with consideration for others (EMPATHY) A woman’s’ PFC through the white matter is connected to the Hippocampus, which we mentioned in the last episode and the Limbic system, the seat of the emotional self.
And this is a very cool and very revealing statistic….
The frontal lobes of men and the PFC, have 45 percent of their gray matter located there, and zero percent white matter. In other words, a man’s PFC or frontal lobes – especially in the left hemisphere – the more rational side of the brain – apparently have virtually no input from the emotional areas. Why would this be? What is the evolutionary benefit?
The answer is a simple one. Men make decisions, at least initial ones, with very little emotional input. I believe this is a biological imperative. Early in our evolution, it was the male of the species that hunted. Having no empathy or emotional attachment for what you were about to kill was obviously important for a man. You couldn’t have feelings for Bambi or you wouldn’t throw your spear. You had to focus on Bambi, kill Bambi, skin Bambi, cook Bambi and eat Bambi in order for your family and you to survive.
In the current “real” world, this would explain why men appear to make sometimes cold, analytical decisions without feelings or empathy. They talk about “killing it” in business, for example. Emotions and Feelings don’t matter. Only acquisition. Only winning. Only overcoming. Their frontal cortex tends to “go it alone” without input from other brain areas – especially the areas related to emotions and empathy. Just the cold facts. This is very important when you think about wars, why they start, and why they continue. And why we tend to elect the leaders that we do.
…the white matter areas of female brains were more active…
Dr. Amen, the neuro-scientist and psychiatrist, found that, of the 80 brain areas tested, the white matter areas of female brains were more active in 70 of them. That’s 87.5 percent more active than the males tested. His interpretation was that women have busier brains while a man’s brain is a lot quieter. From personal experience, the women in my life tend to think about everything and they appear to worry about everything and everyone. And now I know why. Another way to look at it…a woman’s brain may be geared more toward Multi-Focusing and Multi-Tasking, while a man’s brain tends to be Single-Focused and Single-Tasked. Both are superpowers and highly valuable in society and in relationships.
In summary,
- There are two major types of brain matter – gray and white – which appear to have different gender-related distribution and concentration patterns. Women have an overall higher level of gray or “thinking” matter than men – but men have a higher level of gray or “thinking” matter in the areas of the brain related to intelligence. Men have more white matter overall than women do, but virtually none of it in the PFC of the Left Frontal Lobe/PFC. In contrast, women have a high concentration of gray matter and white matter in the PFC of the Frontal Lobes.
- When a man thinks and makes decisions, his decisions are often made initially with no empathy or consideration for others’ emotions or feelings-due to the lack of white matter in his PFC. Emotions or feelings would inhibit his ability to act – especially in a kill or be killed situation – or when he is attempting to provide or protect his family.
When a woman thinks and makes decisions, however, she will do so with the emotional or empathetic input from other relevant brain areas, because her gray and white matter in her PFC and Frontal Lobes is balanced. This allows her to access other relevant brain areas and information – especially the Empathy areas – when thinking or making decisions. So, her decisions tend to be tempered by consideration for others.
- The white matter of a woman is approximately 87.5% more active than a man’s brain. Women simply have busier brains – which may be related to an apparently greater ability to Multi-Task and Multi-Focus, versus the Single-Task, Single-Focus men.
These brain differences spill over into relationships big time-a theme that we will explore in the next Blog.
Until next time, I am Dr. G., the Reality Doctor.