Sunday, May 30, 2010

What I've been reading

The Male Brain by Louann Brizendine, M.D. This is book should be read by every women to understand what they "up" against and to be realistic in their expectations. Also every man should read it to be aware their shortcoming's, strength's and understand what they are made of. It's an easy read and small book. Personally, it had become self-evident a while ago that I am an oxytocin and estrogen driven man (unlike most men who are driven by testosterone and vasopressin).

The book basically educate's us on how different neurotransmitters (and hormones) becomes the driving force behind a man in different stages of his life (kid, boy, teen, young man, lover, husband, dad and grandfather). It's not reductionist view of man but its science of who we are and I believe educating oneself will only make us a better person.

Few new things I learnt -

"Emotional system of men are driven by temporal-parietal junction system (TPJ - cognitive empathy) while women are driven by mirror neuron system (MNS - emotional empathy)"

Men falling in love - "Begins with an area deep at the center of the brain called the ventral tegmental area (VTA). We'd see the cells in the area manufacturing dopamine - the brain's feel-good neurotransmitter for motivation and reward - making us feel a pleasant buzz. The dopamine is mixed with testosterone and vasopressin at nucleus accumbens (NAc). Mixing dopamine with other hormones will make a high octane fuel, leaving us exhilarated and head over heels in love."



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