Introduction
The various hormones usually act in the brain of both the male and female, and this is made possible by the two receptors, which are genomic and nongenomic. Things like mood, which are neural and behavioral functions, are affected by hormones like estrogen. This hormone also affects motor coordination, cognitive function, and opioid sensitivity. Hormones program the various parts associated with the brain and bring about the sense of sex differences. The sex differences and response to the different sex hormones within the brain bring about diverse behaviors and brain functions related to gender.
Brain structures and hormone effects
Hormones’ effects on gray matter
Circulating sex hormone levels play a very significant role in gender roles, primarily in the volume of gray matter in the brain. These hormones play a role in exploring within the brain the relationships modulated by biological sex. A hormone-like testosterone that exists in high amounts within males results in a positive gray matter volume in men. The areas that result in this high volume in males include the hippocampus and cerebellum. Progesterone hormone is positively related to females in gray matter volume, primarily within the frontal cortex. Testosterone hormones usually result in males having larger regional gray matter volume than women in bilateral clusters. With testosterone hormone being more within males’ larger hippocampal, males have an advantage in carrying out spatial tasks (Spritzer et al., 2021, pp.275-293). The high progesterone hormone in females, especially in frontal areas, makes them able to carry out verbal tasks more quickly than men.
During prenatally and adolescence, brain development occurs differently due to the sex hormones accepted in sex differences in brain morphology. According to Meeker et al. (2020, p.594588), During the pre-ovulatory phase, the hippocampus usually shows an increase in gray matter volume among females. However, it is crucial to understand that just a few studies support circulating levels of sex hormones relating to gray matter volumes. One of the considerate factors that needs to be clearly explained is how high circulating tetralone levels increase the volume of gray matter within men’s brains. It is also very questionable how estradiol levels display large volume in the brain among women. The various conducted studies explain how sex hormones within the brain cause sex differences, especially in cognitive functions.
Cognitive functions, hormone roles, and socialization
It is also worth noting that the cognitive functions related to brain sex hormones are also attributed to socialization factors. Some of the social factors here include gender roles within the society. It is crucial to note that gender role is neither mutually inclusive nor dichotomous. In general, considering both male and female genders, the hormonal differences result in males having a higher proportion of gray matter than females. When it comes to the white point within our brain, females usually have a higher proportion of it than males. These two differences can thus be attributed to sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, which vary in amount among the two genders.
Fluctuation in hormones
Menstrual cycle
Regarding the menstrual cycle, which occurs within women, it results in slight changes in their brains. According to Rehbein et al . ( 2021, pp.183-206), during this period, women go through hormone fluctuations where estrogen levels change, and this affects the hippocampus. It is worth noting that the hippocampus is responsible for emotions and memory. During the menstrual cycle, the women tend to have male-like behavior since their female hormones are low. During this period, menstrual changes are likely experienced in the parental and frontal lobes, especially in visuospatial tasks, and the inferior frontal gyrus, especially in verbal memory tasks. During the first menstrual cycle, the brain is likely to be affected a lot, especially with an increased risk of aging in the brain. The size of the women’s brain also changes during this time, where it is significant at one phase, resulting in various facets, including memory, spatial awareness, and social skills. The amygdala part of the brain increases in size, resulting in increased social perception of women during the menstrual cycle (Rehbein et al .,2021, pp.183-206). Thus, changes in the level of estrogen and progesterone in women during the menstrual cycle result in variations in their moods and behaviors.
Testosterone effects on brain and sex differences
Testosterone effects on brain and behavioral changes
Typically, men exhibit higher levels of testosterone level than women, and this hormone is very crucial when it comes to brain development. This hormone has various physiological roles in central nervous system and peripheral tissues. The hormone has a significant impact when it comes to the development and showing multiple sexual behaviors. The hormone also plays a massive role in enhancing differences between sexes. The effects of testosterone level in the brain neurons include changes in cellular level; it results in changes in behavior, emotions, and behavior. The long-term impact of this hormone on the brain consists of epigenetic modification.
AAS effects on the brain
Some people, especially athletes, end up using AASs, which has high testosterone, to enhance their performance and increase esthetics, and this result in hormonal imbalances. The effects of hormonal imbalances include various behavioral changes and hostile behavior, including disorders, depression, and anxiety (Bhasin et al., 2021, pp.1778-1794). Though the use of AASs has not yet been fully explained in terms of their effects on the brain, it can be suggested that the testosterone hormone can be inhibitory or excitatory, thus being converted to metabolites with different biological activities within the brain. This can result in an increased Ein discharge threshold within CNS, and the discharge affects the hypothalamus, resulting in the release of the various hormones in a non-scheduled manner. The effects include alteration of behaviors. However, it is very crucial to note that the existing relationship between testosterone levels and things like aggression can be influenced by other factors, including the social life person and the environment the individual is within most of the time.
Puberty and hormonal changes
Clarity on the puberty stage in different sexes and associated hormones in different sexes
Puberty results in kids becoming adults, and it has associated physical and mental changes. The puberty starting times vary in sexes, where females experience puberty earlier than males. The various hormones are responsible for puberty and are triggered in the brain. For instance, in males, there is the production of testosterone from the testicles that results in various changes in males. In females, estrogen produced from ovaries results in the growth and release of eggs. According to Kabotyanski and Somerville (2021, p.554380), the associated hormones are crucial during puberty when it comes to changes in the organization and structure of the brain. The various hormones, such as androgen, are responsible for enhancing the learning and memory part of the brain. The hormones also result in changes in sexual behavior and the processes associated with emotion processing.
During this stage, neurons in the brain grow, changing the number of connections within each neuron, thus resulting in a change in the overall complexity of brain circuits. So, the increase in learning and memory capacity can be explained by increased neural connections in the hippocampus. Some of the hormones produced during the puberty stage include the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone. Estrogen and progesterone are in females, and testosterone is in males (Howard 2021, pp.702-715). During puberty, various behavioral differences occur in different sexes due to the multiple hormone interactions and other associated social influences.
The sex differences during this stage include male testosterone, resulting in the growth of male sexual characteristics, including facial and body hair; it increases muscle mass, and the male’s body changes in composition. Females experience different physical changes from males due to estrogen and progestogen hormones, including the development of breasts and the occurrence of menstruation.
Behavioral changes during puberty
The puberty stage can also result in various behavioral changes in different sexes due to the strengthening of the brain. The effects include intense thinking and complex emotions. Mood swings are also prevalent, especially among females. For example, males may become more concerned about their physical appearance, exhibit high levels of competition, and are likely to engage in risky behaviors, including impulsive actions. They try to create a third identity by creating hierarchies with peers. For females, behavioral changes include creating interpersonal relationships, engaging in a more cooperative and collaborative learning environment, and valuing social connections.
Conclusion
Thus, in deduction, males and females have the same types of hormones, but a difference occurs in their levels. For males, their development hormones are androgen, especially testosterone. This hormone is produced during fetal development, around eight weeks. It is worth noting that the main behavioral effect associated with testosterone is aggression. When it comes to females, their primary growth hormone is estrogen. The behavioral effects of this hormone include changes in moods and increased irritability. When it comes to a hormone-like oxytocin, women have a larger quantity than men. This hormone is associated with reducing stress hormones. These hormones also create a lot of changes when it comes to the development of the brain during different stages of human life.
Bibliography
Bhasin, S., Hatfield, D.L., Hoffman, J.R., Kraemer, W.J., Labotz, M., Phillips, S.M. and Ratamess, N.A., 2021. Anabolic-androgenic steroid use in sports, health, and society. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 53(8), pp.1778-1794.
Howard, S.R., 2021. Interpretation of reproductive hormones before, during, and after the pubertal transition—Identifying health and disordered puberty. Clinical Endocrinology, 95(5), pp.702-715.
Kabotyanski, K.E. and Somerville, L.H., 2021. Puberty: Your Brain on Hormones. Front. Young Minds, 9, p.554380. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2020.554380/pdf
Meeker, T.J., Veldhuijzen, D.S., Keaser, M.L., Gullapalli, R.P. and Greenspan, J.D., 2020. Menstrual cycle variations in gray matter volume, white matter volume, and functional connectivity: critical impact on the parietal lobe. Frontiers in neuroscience, 14, p.594588. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2020.594588/full
Rehbein, E., Hornung, J., Sundström Poromaa, I. and Derntl, B., 2021. Shaping of the female human brain by sex hormones: a review. Neuroendocrinology, 111(3), pp.183-206. https://karger.com/nen/article-abstract/111/3/183/220637
Spritzer, M.D., Jaeger, E.C. and Guo, J.D., 2021. Testosterone and spatial memory: rodent models and clinical applications. Androgens: Clinical Research and Therapeutics, 2(1), pp.275-293.
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