Male and female brains differ at birth
The study examines sex differences in brain structure at birth, finding males have larger brain volumes, while females have more cortical gray matter. Differences are stable during early development.
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This study investigates sex differences in brain structure at birth, focusing on a sample of 514 newborns (236 females and 278 males) aged 0-28 days. The research, part of the Developing Human Connectome Project, reveals that males generally have larger intracranial and total brain volumes compared to females, even after adjusting for birth weight. In terms of specific brain regions, females exhibit greater total cortical gray matter volumes, while males show increased total white matter volumes. Notable regional differences include females having larger white matter volumes in the corpus callosum and gray matter volumes in several areas, including the parahippocampal gyri and anterior cingulate gyrus. Conversely, males have increased gray matter volumes in the right medial and inferior temporal gyri. The study also identifies significant sex-by-age interactions in specific brain regions, indicating that sex differences in brain structure are present at birth and remain stable during early postnatal development. These findings underscore the influence of prenatal factors in shaping sex differences in brain anatomy, suggesting that such differences are established early in development.
- Males have larger total brain volumes than females at birth.
- Females show greater cortical gray matter volumes, while males have more white matter.
- Specific brain regions exhibit significant sex differences in volume.
- Sex differences in brain structure are stable during early postnatal development.
- Prenatal factors play a crucial role in establishing these differences.
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https://studyfinds.org/how-male-and-female-brains-differ-at-...
Edit: Well I feel like a fool. I opened up and read past the headline. This article is specifically about the differences in babies and acknowledges known differences in adults.
> Sex differences in human brain anatomy have been well-documented, though remain significantly underexplored during early development.
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