Gender Brain Differences — in Response to Stress  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Brain References – by topic

People have been fascinated by the brain since at least Hippocrates, the ‘Father’ of Medicine—in this ‘the age of the brain’ we have the advantage of emerging technology 1. Scans show us how the brain functions 2.Studies tell us how to care for the brain 3.Research explains more and more about male-female brain differences Human Brains  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

Stress is Living  Arlene R. Taylor PhD The absence of stress is death Eustress: Positive stress helps you grow Distress: Negative stress to avoid Misstress: Hidden stress (may be missed) Unmanaged Distress and Misstress can kill brain cells and damage body organs When feeling rather stressed, has anyone ever said to you: “It’s no big deal; just get over it!”

Different Strokes for...  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Stress is a relative concept as every brain is unique: every thought changes your brain and every brain thinks different thoughts—so you become even more unique with age Stress responses typically: Are learned (often in childhood) Relate to perception and flexibility Can be unlearned and relearned

Stress and the Brain  Arlene R. Taylor PhD All brains need effective stress- management strategies as unmanaged stress is lethal to both brain and body Effective stress-management strategies are critical for females as their brains are twice as vulnerable as male brains to many stress-related disorders Researchers have discovered that the brain handles stress differently based on gender

Statistically, women are at higher risk for stress-related depression and PTSD—Corticotropin Releasing Factor or CRF, both a neurotransmitter and a peptide hormone may be a key player In response to a stressor, the hypothalamus releases CRF that binds to receptors on cells in an alarm center deep in the brainstem, called the locus ceruleus Molecular Psychiatry - Report  Arlene R. Taylor PhD

Female Brain and Stress  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc This release telegraphs heightened emotional arousal throughout the brain via the chemical messenger norepinephrine— which influences sleep and alertness and is believed to be correlated to the Fight-Flight stress response. Such hyper-arousal can be adaptive and helpful for brief periods but not if it becomes chronic Runaway CRF is a core feature of depression

CRF is Powerful!  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Can suppress appetite Can increase subjective anxiety Is linked with euphoric feelings that accompany alcoholism Triggers inflammation (a process being investigated in Multiple Sclerosis research) High levels have been found in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals who committed suicide

Researchers Use Rats  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Rats make good research subjects when you can’t use human beings as rat and human peptides are identical Peptides, molecules consisting of 2 or more amino acids, impact your mood; some are hormones, others are neurotransmitters, and some are a combination of both Researchers recently studied how brains of male and female rats handled stress

Female Brain – CRF  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc In the stressed female rat, the brain acted macho— all CRF receptors stayed on the cell surface and open so CRF could enter the cell freely (metaphor: all windows are open in your house letting in the storm easily) This increased CRF binding heightened the brain's stress reactivity

Male Brain - CRF  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc In the stressed male rat, internal proteins called arrestins (green) helped some CRF receptors retreat inside the cell where they could not bind with CRF (metaphor: half the windows in your house are closed to the storm) This process, unique to the male brain, toned- down the neuron's stress sensitivity due to less CRF being taken into the cell

Receptors (blue) on cell surfaces stay open, which increases CRF binding and stress reactivity Arrestins (green) help some receptors retreat inside the cell, which decreases CRF binding and stress reactivity hormone-receptors-less-adaptive-in-female- brain.shtml?WT.mc_id=twitter&sms_ss=

Female Brain  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc The female alarm system is more sensitive to stressors and to CRF, period Even in the absence of stressors, the female stress signaling system is more sensitive from the start  Debra Bangasser PhD Lack of receptor internalization in the female brain could translate into impaired ability to cope with high levels of CRF — as occurs in depression and PTSD

Different Strokes... Stress is a relative concept because every brain is unique Stress responses are typically learned and often relate to personal flexibility— trees that cannot flex with the wind are at high risk of uprooting in a storm

Brain and Stressors  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc The brain is the first body system recognize a stressor and it reacts with split-second timing Can stimulate a stress response for up to 72 hours after a stress event (real or imagined) or longer, if you keep rehearsing the event Stressors interact with the brain in a predictable equation

Brain-Stress Equation  Arlene R. Taylor PhD 20% of any negative impact to your brain and body is due to the stressor event; 80% is due to your perception of the event It’s not so much what happens that matters as what you think about what happens —Epictetus, 2 nd Century Greek Philosopher Be anxious for nothing —Apostle Paul, Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV

20:80 Rule  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Only 20% of any negative effect to brain and body is due to the event 80% is due to your perception of the event and the weight you give to it Even when you can’t do anything about the 20%, you can do almost everything about the 80% because you create your own perceptions

Gold Medal Moment  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Researcher Shelley E. Taylor recommends identifying your gold medal moment Whenever you recognize a stressor or perceive a negative interpretation of the event, recall your gold medal moment That can help you move into the 80%

Strategies!  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Increased knowledge can trigger positive communication and collaboration—which can be so much fun! Males: know that you tend to underreact to stressors Females: know that you tend to overreact to stressors Collaborate to find middle ground and appropriate responses/strategies to the stressor

Tips for Coping with Stressors Drive carefully, especially when you are coping with stressors— it’s not only cars that can be recalled by their maker Be careful what you say during episodes of high stress—if you can’t be kind, be silent, or at least have the decency to be vague

Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, or you won’t have a leg to stand on Birthdays are very good for you— the more you have, the longer you live so learn to enjoy them Stop the mad competitive rush—it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese

Learn from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors—but they all have to live in the same box Sleep late whenever possible—it’s the early worm that gets eaten by the bird

Accept that some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue—practice laughter on the days that you’re the statue The truly happy—and typically low- stress personality—is the one who can actually enjoy the scenery on a detour