Studies have shown men have SLIGHTLY more gray matter but women have TONS more white matter in their brains?

Question

What do you think the white matter does and how/in what ways does it make women more intelligent? In what ways to you find women to be more intelligent in general?

That's an interesting article but doesn't add up to you addressing nor answering my questions.

Wow. I actually expected some intelligent answers to my actual questions. Too many jokers and trolls on the net today I guess. SIlly me.

Answer 1

Okay, a couple of things here.

First, men are larger, on average, and their brains match their body mass. They have more muscle, more bone mass, more blood, etc. Of course they have more gray matter and neurons, that's just basic anatomy.

As to what white matter does, think of it as the network for communication. It moves information to and between the gray matter itself. Women do have a little bit more of this than men because our brains communicates with itself a touch more than men due to the corpus collosum.

The corpus collosum is much larger in women. Some men do not even have a corpus collosum. This structure is basically a bridge between the hemispheres and is much more active in women, hence the larger size, than in men. It is not the only method of communication but it is the primary one. This allows women to use both left and right brain thinking at once. It is not a better way of thinking, necessarily, just different.

Now, the claim that it is mostly fat is...well, misleading as it suggests that it isn't that big a deal. The white matter houses the axons of the nerves. The nerves are covered by something called a myelin sheath which helps the nerves conduct impulses faster.

Many people dismiss white matter injury because it "isn't as important," but the fact is, without one, the other suffers. White matter injury is easier for kids to overcome for the obvious reasons that they are a tad more elastic than adults in that arena. When the white matter is damaged, it causes a lot of problems, ranging from lessened ability to transmit instructions to the body to cognitive effects. There is a very brutal disease that we know attacks the myelin sheath...Multiple Sclerosis. So you see why I say calling it nothing more than mostly fat is misleading.

OH! By the way, there is research suggesting that white matter does more than transmit information but may also talk within itself, too. Has something to do with precursor oligodendryte cells (immature oligodendryte cells that make up the myelin sheath when they mature but before maturation, just sort of hang around and wait to be told to grow). I think it was done at John's Hopkins. Will do a search now.

Here it is. I knew I read something on it recently...very recently, lol. http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/2007/21may07/21brain.html

Answer 2

Your premise is false. TONS is not accurate. The average general level of intelligence between men and women is about equal. Were you trying to start trouble. Dr. Tony. Only in social science is " meta-analysis " done and for good reason. Keep shifting the data and your preconceived idea will be supported. Typical of psychology; but that does not make it science.

Answer 3

" it is reported that a woman's brain has a larger corpus collusum, which means women can transfer data between the right and left hemisphere faster than men. Men tend to be more left brained, while women have greater access to both sides."

Is this the information you are seeking?
It does not make females more intelligent.
Would it matter if it did?
Who cares?

We are all ourselves.
We will do what we want and what makes us happy irrespective of what someone tells us we do or do not have.
We are all different. Who cares?
How about we try and bring man and woman together instead of continually try and find meaningless segregations.

Yes man and woman have different brains.

"men have 4% more brain cells than women, and about 100 grams more of brain tissue."
"it is reported that women have more dendritic connections between brain cells."

The brains are different.
That does not make one sex better, merely different.

Answer 4

I think they white matter gets in the way of the grey matter and thats why although women might have the same potential as men less women than men do very well at science and math.

Answer 5

Most men think with the wrong head.

Answer 6

From my experience the white matter is probably the part which deals with shoes.

Answer 7

don't be too proud darling. white matter is mostly fat