Talbe of Contents for The Female Brain

Introduction

Chapter 1 Birth of the Female Brain

Chapter 2 Teen Girl Brain

Chapter 3 Love and Trust

Chapter 4 Sex

Chapter 5 Mommy Brain

Chapter 6 Emotions

Chapter 7 Mature Female Brain

Epilogue: The Future of the Female Brain

Appendix: The Female Brain and Hormone Therapy

Appendix:The Female Brain and Sexual Orientation

Appendix: The Female Brain and Postpartum Depression

Letters from Readers of The Female Brain:

see interview

READING GROUP GUIDE *see below

Im a unmarried 47yr old/young guy,I've read  "the female brian" 3
times,loaned the 1st copy to a retired school psycholigist from san
jose,who now lives here in Red Bluff , ca. She told me I couldnt have it
back, here's your money.Then I had to get two more copies,gave one to my
sister Trev in Tacoma/Seattle, wa. who is a psycholigist,she said THANK
YOU,very much and gave me a huge hug.I loaned the other copy to a retired
woman in the presbyterian church i attend.That was about 6 mo.ago.Im going
to ask her about my/her book.The 2nd and 3rd times I read your book new
things/more things would appear! Now my mother,Pat houck/talbert,another
retired school psycholigist,has/is reading your excellent book. Now , Im
waiting for The Male Brain, how can I get it before anyone else ? u mean I
have to wait like everyone else? UGH !! well enough dinking around! Ive
been at this since 8,its now 11 pm,yup im really slow some times ,
sometimes I wish I was more eloquent,but then I wouldnt be
me.

                     Thanks for reading,   Jerome

Dear Prof. Brizendine,
 
I have just turned the last page of you wonderful book and I’m at a loss for words how to praise it enough. If I said it was life changing I’d only be guilty of understatement. And it made me laugh out loud too ! (mostly at the all too rare bits about men).
 
I’m a 55 year old divorcee with a mother of 90, a sister of 64, an ex-wife (and friend) of 51, identical twin daughters of 17 (both studying psychology) and numerous female friends. I’d like to say that I know what they will all be getting for Christmas this year but I don’t think it can wait that long.
 
I’m also currently at sea on a research vessel where I share the company of about 60 other men. If I thought I could get away with it I would make your book compulsory reading before any of any of them are allowed ashore again. Unfortunately I don’t have quite that much authority but I will be doing all I can to convince anyone who will listen to read it too.
 
So when can we expect the sequel ? I appreciate you are specialist in women’s medicine but we men need your help too !
 
Very best regards, Andy Cunningham

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

Congratulations on your recent book, The Female Brain   It is
an impressive work and my wife and I greatly enjoyed reading it (my
wife told me it was the best book she has ever read and  it has
changed her life).   As you probably know it is the number one
selling book in Marin County and backordered at most bookstores.

My wife was deeply impressed with your book and felt that you have helped explain many of the changes she has been experiencing the past few years as she approaches menopause.  She is a highly intelligent, well educated, healthy 46 year old woman who has been having many of the symptoms you describe in your book (joint pain, mood flucuations, changes in menses).  She is very excited to have finally gained some insight as
to the cause of the changes she has experienced.

Thank you for writing this book!

~ Dan V
San Raphael, CA

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

You and your book, The Female Brain, have had a tremendous impact on
my family.   My 15 year old daughter just read your book and is greatly excited about your work and determined to try and follow in your footsteps.   She is now volunteering on the local hospital and working with a local neuropsychiatrist. I have never seen her so excited about a career path. Thank you.

~ John S
St. Louis, MO

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

I just read your book, The Female Brain, and LOVED it!!! No one can change brains, but we can change mindsets and corporations
will do that for us faster than religion or politics... connect the dots
with me and see if you don't agree.Follow the money...

- 2/3rds of the GDP - Gross Domestic Product is from consumerism

- 80% of consumerism is influenced by women (buying directly or telling
someone else what to buy)

- So... Companies are doing everything to look approachable to women.
Pay attention to the next commercial break on TV and count the numbers
of spots that have women protrayed intelligently.

- This all happened within the last 3 years. Compare Super Bowl/wardrobe
manfunction year ads to now. The ads went from frat house, to cleaned
up, to almost Disney-ish this last year.Yet, I was VERY surprised to hear it still happening in the tech world, whereby the technology was suppose to be the equalizer. If you aren't respectful of what both genders bring to the table, then the squeeky wheel (i.e. mouthy men) will get the attention.

One women who employs 12 tech heads said, "In general I noticed that the women understate what they can do and the men overstate what they can do. Working together, they produce a better, more end-to-end software solution than if just men worked on it.

(I'm paraphasing, but that's the gist.) Thank you for writing this book for all us women and the future generations!

~ Mary C.
San Jose, CA

My copy (of The Female Brain) arrived yesterday, I started it this AM and have just completed reading it. I will give it to my husband for some badly needed education.

The book was an eye opener, detailed, clear and I feel like a new person in my female self. I know how amazing women are, but I never could articulate why and how...this book is at the top of my list for understanding girls/women and all of their powers, bravo!

I have gone back to Amazon and ordered more copies of The Female Brain to give to other women as gifts...I also told a man about the book earlier in the day; he has a terrible understanding of his postmenopausal wife. I think that this book could help them to better understand so much of what is going on, which greatly shapes their relationship.

Again, what a powerful source of information...thank god for women!

~ Jacquelyn Fuzell-Casey
Sierra Nevada

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

I just purchased your new book and was thoroughly impressed. As a young guy, I want to thank you for giving me an insight into the mystery that is the female brain -- I've been trying to figure it out for years! thank you -- and congratulations on your wonderful book!

~ Sam Scott
Boston

Dr. Brizendine,

I loved your book and especially the part where you talk about that new mothers lose an average of seven hundred hours of sleep in the first year postpartum !  That was me for sure.

And also the study where mother rats were given the opportunity to press a bar and get a squirt of cocaine or press a bar and get a rat pup to suck their nipples...Those oxytocin squirts in the brain outscored a snort of cocaine every time.

And I wish I could get my husband to understand that I'm operating minus 700 hours of sleep on an altered hormonal profile. Maybe then he'd let me take a nap instead of saying "You go take a nap, honey" and then sending the kids upstairs to wake me and ask me where all the pancake ingredients are. Maybe I should get him to read this book !!

~ Winnie
Seattle

An Alien Brain?*

There's a creature, perhaps it's alien,

But it's been on Earth for ages.

And when encountered by aboriginal man,

It often brought on mutual rages.

Its difference in bodily shape

Was something that was obviously seen,

And its smell was also different

And unfortunately periodically unclean.

At least we men are stronger,

But we're worried about its versatile brain.

It's not as large, but it's more compact,

And though somewhat more vulnerable to strain,

It produces more words on average,

And sometimes at a frantic rate.

And if conflict occurs anytime of the day,

It's inclined to keep us up late.

The scariest thing of all,

Although they're so differently designed,

All day long, we have difficulty

Keeping them out of our mind.

Undoubtedly, they have their uses,

If I struggle, maybe some I will find.

After all, we men are straight thinkers,

And not inclined to be logically blind.

So I must confess, although under duress,

In spite of all that I've said about them,

As the saying goes, and Heaven knows,

We just cannot live without them.

*Inspired by The Female Brain: Louann Brizendine.

~ D. B. Clark
8/20/2006

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

This book has helped me understand myself a lot better--I suffer from terrible PMS; I finally stopped my period by continually taking birth control pills. Now that I am 45+, and getting closer to menopause, even the birth control pills seem to be failing me a bit - as a result, I am on antidepressants.

Let me point out that my moodiness is no small issue - I have come very close to committing assault out of sheer frustration and irritation - simply due to "hormone withdrawal". I become very aggressive and easily irritated - making relationships at work and home problematic. Once I get things "corrected" via prescription drugs - my mood changes completely - it is almost like I am a totally different person!

I always knew that the hormone drop was the reason for my Jekyll and Hyde personality, but your book taught me how estrogen and other hormones are related to brain chemicals such as serotonin. Thank you for writing this book!

~ Valerie
Philadelphia
8/22/06

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

It was a relief (and pleasure) to find your book and read what it has to say.  I am a happily married mother of two wonderful children and I work as a preschool teacher.  90% of the time, I feel deeply blessed in my life.  The other 10%, that dreaded time in my menstrual cycle, I feel cursed.  I hope to remedy the situation soon by talking to my doctor about it.
I greatly appreciate all the work you have done in this area.

~ Lisa
New York
8/30/06

Dr. Brizendine:

I wanted to let you know I finished your book The Female Brain last night and found it to be captivating. It was the topic of discussion at dinner last night as I shared all my dog eared pages and highlighted references with my husband, daughter, and son-in-law.

~ Marsha
Bloomington, IN

Dear Louann,

I'm reading your book and it's really great.
It's easy to understand, so it can really help womans we see.
Your research are very interesting and confirm what were just intuitions.

I'm a french psychiatrist and i'm writing a third book.
I'm less "scientifist" as you're (it means i see clients and i just read
books or articles but i don't make scientific studies because i work alone
in a private surgery).

With my second book, i tried to help people to know the latest scientific
research and to cope with their negative emotions. I made the same conclusion in the practical psychotherapeutic field as you
did in the scientifist one : psychological ways of helping are lead and
exposed by males but are not always adjusted to woman ; for example
mindfulness or methods proposed by hearthmate, or behavioral cognitive
therapy. There're so many examples!

My wish for my third book is to write a clinical and practical book to help
woman to cope with love (romantic and child attachement).
Love is, in my clinical experience, the main motivation to initiate a
psychotherapy.

Your book is a precious support to realize this project. So i thank you.

~ Dr Stéphanie Hahusseau
Paris, France August 31, 2006

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

I'm writing to congratulate you for the work you're doing on the
physical foundations of differences in male and female psychology.  As a
psychotherapist, I've spent 20 years working on similar issues and I
know it isn't always easy.

Author of "Becoming Whole Men"

~ Steven Kessler, MFT
September 3, 2006

Dr. Brizendine,

I want you to know your book has saved my marriage !!! My husband and I have been in couples therapy for years and our therapist gave us a copy of your book last week. Thank you for writing this book.

~ Deborah
Santa Barbara

Hello Dr. Brizendine,

I recently read the article about you in Newsweek, and I want to add my voice to those that support you.

I am an Asst. Prof, and I began my career as a Chemistry major at RPI. Before I had children, I would argue with you forever that there weren't any intrinsic differences between boys and girls.

Now, as the mother of two boys, I KNOW there are differences that are not sociological, but biological. It is not PC, but true, although many would use this argument to say that there is a difference in academic ability (even in science) between males and females, which I don't believe is true.

In fact, I think that these brain differences actually make women more able to compete in today's world. Our empathetic abilities are more important than males aggressive abilities, which was not true when humans first started walking.

I have long felt that if men had children and suffered through menopause, we would have free, high quality child care, relief from menopausal systems, and world peace. The powers that be (men) simply lack the experience to understand women's issues and concerns.

Thanks for your groundbreaking work!

~ Barbara
Denver, CO
Sept 3, 2006

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

Have really been enjoying your book. As a transsexual woman, there are many who argue that we were indeed born with "women's brains".  Often the transition does not occur even until the age of 50 or so.  The issue is one that divides transsexuals and causes much debate, often very bitter.

Personally, I have no doubt that all of the individuals posting on websites are indeed both physically and mentally male.  The mythology of being women is simply a myth, but one that has become like a religion.  I agree with most doctors who see sex reassignment surgery not as a cure or a change of sex, but simply a palliative procedure. Thank you for having the courage to discuss this subject openly.

~ Ann
San Francisco
Sept 4, 2006

Dear Dr. Brizendine,

We chatted briefly the other day and  I mentioned I had just received your book the day before, and when I returned home that evening I read it straight through.  When I got up Sunday morning, I went directly to the Internet and ordered several copies for my family (2 adult daughters, 2 adult sons, my mother, my sister, my two adult nieces and my dearest friends.

What a gift you have given to us all - men and women alike!  The clarity and wisdom is priceless, and your book is very entertaining and comforting to read as well.  Your credentials, your notes, and your extensive references make The Female Brain a fantastic contribution to the professional literature that the general public will also embrace with much gratitude.  I am so pleased to have met you, and I praise your founding of the Women's and Teen Girls' Mood and Hormone Clinic.
  
Wishing you well always!
  
~ Shirley
Berkeley, CA
September 22, 2006

Dear Doctor Brizendine,

I have read The Female Brain and learned a lot. I am now reading it for the second time. It has helped me better understand both my wife and my mother. Thanks for a wonderful book.

~ Gordon B.
Ottawa Canada
10/9/06

READING GROUP GUIDE---*also available from RandomHouse, Broadway Books

Reading Group Guide

THE FEMALE BRAIN

By Louann Brizendine, M.D.

Broadway Books

Trade Paperback

ISBN 978-0-7679-2010-0

Introduction

Nature or nurture? Which can best explain the differences between male and female interactions—from the intensity of female friendships to the laws of sexual attraction? Bringing a fascinating new voice to the debates that affect relationships, parenting, and even workplace conflicts, pioneering neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine, M.D., delivers the latest findings about the physiology behind a woman’s mind. Explaining both the structure of the female brain as well as the intricate hormonal dance that unfolds throughout a lifetime, Dr. Brizendine distills essential truths and dismisses harmful myths. Brimming with eye-opening facts, The Female Brain presents a remarkable tour of the innate distinctions between male and female impulses.

The female brain is programmed to be communicative; with that in mind, we hope the topics and questions that follow will enrich your reading group’s discussion of The Female Brain.

Topics and Questions for Discussion

1. Dr. Brizendine begins by describing the lack of clinical data on female neurology, psychology, and neurobiology she encountered as a medical student. How did years of emphasis on male subjects skew medical treatment for women and men alike? What did it take for physicians such as Dr. Brizendine to turn the tide?

2. Discuss the book’s discussion of gender and aggression in young children. What do these revelations, such as the fact that girls may inherently go through phases of bossiness as well as cooperatively taking turns, indicate about the way we should socialize children? Should our expectations of “acceptable” childhood behavior be altered in recognition of these innate patterns?

3. How does an understanding of the adolescent female brain ease or even alleviate your own memories of teenage angst? Which episodes seem less disconcerting when put in the context of physiology? Considering the way pleasure centers are stoked by gossip and sexual attractiveness takes priority, is it futile to try to tame the teen-girl brain?

4. What is the best way to reconcile the fact that most girls shun conflict while boys often enjoy it? What are the benefits and challenges of this contradiction? How do the adult manifestations of these features play out in the workplace?

5. Which aspects of Melissa and Rob’s case study regarding dating resonated the most with you? Can these findings be translated into a “prescription” for love? What lessons should single women take away from the observation that men are essentially chasers and women are choosers?

6. What surprised you in Dr. Brizendine’s chapter on sexual satisfaction? Did her distinctions between male and female orgasms differ from what you had previously believed? Does twenty-first-century dating accommodate these inherent gender differences?

7. What are the implications of the “mommy brain” for working mothers of newborns?   Would it be beneficial or destructive if more fathers experienced the “daddy brain,” even extreme manifestations such as Couvade Syndrome? Do women inherently want to share the tasks of parenting?

8. Discuss the dangers and advantages of being able to read a man’s expressions with stealth and precision. If you were able to reduce your emotional attentiveness, would you do so?

9. With a better understanding of the inherently different communication styles possessed by men and women, can relationship woes be eased? Or is the communication gulf cause for despair?

10. Does American society embrace the wisdom of menopausal and post-menopausal women? Do contemporary grandmothers receive greater or less respect than in previous generations?

11. Based on the findings in Appendix One, how would you approach the controversial topic of hormone therapy? What is the best way to gain trustworthy advice on this subject from doctors?

12. What predictions can you make about shifting perceptions of gender wars in a culture that becomes more aware of neuroscience? How will the idealized and the fully realized woman be re-defined by our daughters?

13. How might the types of data revealed in Appendix Three shape future discussions about sexual orientation?

14. What do the book’s extensive notes and references indicate about the nature of current research? Which fields appear to be the most progressive? What types of research needs are being addressed? What research question would you want to explore if you were to design a study regarding the female brain?

15. What is the effect of reading about personal, often emotional topics through the lens of science? What disputes in previous generations could have been resolved with our current scientific knowledge about gender differences?

16. Which stage currently matches your status in Dr. Brizendine’s chart, “Phases of a Female’s Life”? In what ways does the chart help explain your past behavior and predict your future responses?

About the Author

Louann Brizendine, M.D., is a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, and the founder of the Women’s and Teen Girls’ Mood and Hormone Clinic. She was previously on the faculty at the Harvard Medical School and is a graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine and the University of California, Berkeley, in neurobiology. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and son.