An MRI rendering of a brain with the amygdala highlighted in red. New research shows that gay men and straight women have similar patterns of connectivity in the amygdala - the brain region associated with emotional learning.
Credit: NIMH
SYDNEY: The brains of homosexual men resemble those of heterosexual women, while lesbians' brains show similarities to those of straight men, new research shows.
The study, published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is among the first to investigate physical attributes of the brain, themselves not explicitly linked to sexual attraction or behaviour, in the context of sexuality.
The work offers an important contribution to the ongoing discussion surrounding sexual orientation, said the researchers, neurobiologists Ivanka Savic and Per Lindström, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
Asymmetries and amygdalae
Previous research has shown that male and female brains can differ noticeably in particular regions and functions. For example, male brains tend to show more cerebral asymmetry, with the right side of the brain often being larger than the left.
An intriguing question then, said Savic and Lindström, is whether differences in the brain can also be seen between individuals of the same sex, but different sexual orientation.
To investigate, the researchers studied the brains of 90 age-matched volunteers, 50 of whom identified as straight and 40 of whom were gay.
Using brain scans to assess symmetry, they showed the brains of homosexual women to be most similar to heterosexual men – asymmetrically larger in the right hemisphere – while the brains of straight women and gay men were both largely symmetrical.
They also used blood flow analysis to investigate functional connectivites within the brain, and again observed that the brains of homosexual volunteers most closely resembled those of heterosexual members of the opposite sex. Gay men, for example, like straight women, showed more pronounced connections within the amygdala, the region of the brain important for emotional learning.
Getting emotional
"The [particularly] remarkable similarity between heterosexual women and homosexual men in the connectivity pattern deserves special attention," wrote the researchers.
"The amygdala has a key role in emotional reactions to external stimuli, including stress [and] the subcallosum and the anterior cingulate [also more strongly connected in gay men and straight women] … are highly involved in the mediation of mood and anxiety-related processes."
These tight functional connections are thought to make women more vulnerable to disorders such as depression and anxiety, the researchers said. And now they might also be used to help explain why homosexual individuals – gay men in particular – are also at heightened risk when it comes to such conditions.
In this respect, the new research "is part of a larger effort to understand mechanisms behind the uneven gender distribution in a number of brain disorders, and to eventually [target] treatments at an individual level," Savic said.
Thinking ahead
Explanations for the differences in brain attributes were not explored in this study, the researchers said. But their observations nevertheless "motivate extensive investigations of larger study groups and prompt for a better understanding of the neurobiology of homosexuality".
This work is part of Savic and Lindström's ongoing research in the field. They have previously shown that the brains of gay men and straight women respond similarly while smelling male sex hormone derivatives.
Research compromised pattern
Dr. Simon LeVay, in 1991, had strong personal and political reasons to pursue his research The “Hypothalamus Study”. LeVay engaged in same-gender sex himself, and lost his partner to AIDS. According to a 1992 Newsweek story, he stated: “. . . if I didn’t find anything, I would give up a scientific career altogether”. In 2001 Simon LeVay, admitted that the study was inconclusive.
In 1993 Dr. Dean Hamer at the NCI reported that a “gay” gene seemed to be maternally linked and could be found on the Xq28 stretch of the X chromosome. But Hamer’s study was discredited as both biased and corrupt. Even an article in the same-gender sex magazine, New York Native, was titled: “Gay Gene Research Doesn’t Hold Under Scrutiny, Chicago Tribune’s John Crewdson Uncovers Possible Scientific Misconduct by NCI Researcher.” And the NIHO alleged that Hamer was selective about which data he chose to report (that he ignored data that didn’t support his contention that homosexuality is genetically determined).
In October 2003, Dr. Qazi Rahman, Dr. Veena Kumari and Dr. Glenn Wilson said they found sex differences in the eye blink in response to loud noises. The authors found that women blinked more readily than men, and that lesbians blinked less readily than other women. They used small samples, and found no difference between homosexual men and heterosexual men. Yet they gave the impression that their findings indicated that homosexuality is a pre-born condition. And they themselves introduced cautionary notes in the study: “Neuroanatomical and neurophysiological variations between heterosexuals and homosexuals may be due either to biological factors or to the influence of learning.”
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU!!! x 10
THANK YOU!!! x 10
The Great Wonder : HUMAN BRAIN
Short of the Long, it is definitively some alikeness, parity, simillitude, tantamountity and or other words of jugglery that are used as tools of expression to propose and profess our thoughts as gains & attains of conceptive perceptions OR perceptive conceptions, both been evidently calibrated by the graduated process & honed procedure of an Organised Body Of Knowledge, laterly said to be Science.
But this is not the wayout as a solution to redress a PROBLEM, if it is so... because we are yet only focalised on the system of being guided, abided and strided by the analytic study of EFECTS & SYMPTOMS. These Effects & Symptoms are a mere manifestation of the Reasons that happen to be ensued by the Causes, which are the creation of a efficacy and tithonicity within the world of Genetic Origin. The world of Genes are mothered by the neuclotides and much beyond upto the basic constructing constituents for the building blocks of Quarks & Gluons that masters the process for All Of Macro & Micro Entities... inclusive of the Humankind.
As endeavoured to present hereinabove, laconically the Human'Brain is but a divine product confered on us, as a unique part amongst all Creations, that certainly works on an intrigated principles & nomological laws of Nature, as a co-effecient & calculus defined by within the Ocean of Cosmicism... "The Cause & Effect Continuum"
For a general feel of imparting a message to the Learned League of Science, Meta-Physicians, Savants & Polymaths for a due concern in honour & regard to their interest in further lucubrational approach forwarding thier respective value-added trust and endeavours in any & all lessons of Macrocosmic OR Microcosmic depths, please be aware, awake & acquaint with a FACT... that all in Cosmos is the manifestational workmanship of the TITHONS : The Para'Being : the genesis of PIEZOPHOTONICS, with a multi-dimensional cyclic predisposiveness called as Cause and Effect, creating All of Creation.
The Reasons to be availed to analyse the world behind the Genesis is nothing but further applied Studies for Piezophotonics in Bio'Plasmatic depths of concern, where a Lesbian Or a Gay Or a Homosexuality can have a fitting answer to render certain redressals & supplementary treatments to make All Straight : The Corrective Ones.
All is Possible' ... if we start reading IMPOSSIBLE as "I'm Possible"
Further do entrust Self to the Higher'Self within that :
" HUMAN IS THE SOURCE OF GOD AND KNOWLEDGE, BOTH "
For further cocnern and benefit to Humankind at large, Me as a minion member of this Global Community of Learned League, the designated and authrised instituutions, versities and /or Academia may approach with proper appeal of process...
THANKS... INDEBITED In Verity To Cosmic'Father & Mother'Nature.
CHARANJEEET SINGH
astral'scientist : gnosiologist
An Imperative 'MESSAGE' for the SCIENTIFIC Community/Consortium
We at large, fail to understand that being the above said Matter' is a Prolific Intelligence for today -OR- may be a Product' Genius for tommorrow, which have been selectively listed and displayed as message for All.
WHY...? WHY... the honourable and learned Scientific communities, consortiums, leagues, versities, institutions and other alikes do not exert or endeavour or approach their self'esteems in this STUDIES and LEARNINGS as a New Chapter in Neo'SCIENCE. WHY they must not contact the above said Person, may be at his e'mail or better in person, to value and understand the hidden & genuine persona and an optimum level of his intellectual growth in the respective field of so said terms which he had named to call as TITHONS : PIEZOPHOTONICS : BIO'PLASMATIC DEPTHS.
Dear Readers & Visitors, WE ALL MUST COLLECTIVELY APPEAL TO OUR CONCERNED VALUERS TO TAKE A NOTE OF THIS ABOVE SIAD BY ACTIVATING THEMSELVES TO EXPLORE AND FIND SUCH A PERSON ALITY TO MAKE AND ENABLE THE SCIENCE MORE EVIDENT AND APPLICABLE FOR IT'S USE & UTILITY IN THE VARIOUS FIELDS OF CONCERNS FOR WHICH A HUMANKIND AT LARGE CAN HAVE A FITTING ANSWER FOR IT'S EVER-WANTED TREATMENTS AND RENMEDIES OF CERTAIN TRUTHS THAT ARE INDEED UNKNOWN OR BEYOND TODAY'S CONCEPTUAL OR APPLIED SCIENCE.
Isn't It ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?