Brain Development and Gender Identity

My guest is Dr. Nirao Shah, MD, PhD, a professor of psychiatry, behavioral sciences and neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. We discuss how the brains of males and females differ and how those differences arise from different genes and hormones during fetal development, in childhood and adulthood. We discuss what drives male- versus female-specific behaviors and how hormonal fluctuations across the lifespan, including puberty, the menstrual cycle, menopause and aging – affect behavior, cognition and health. Additionally, we discuss how biology relates to gender identity and the impact of hormone therapies on brain circuits that regulate mating, parenting and social bonding.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Nirao Shah

00:02:11 Mice, Humans & Brain, Biological Conservation

00:05:25 Hormones, Nature vs Nurture

00:07:13 Biological Sex Differences, Chromosomes & SRY Gene, Hormones

00:16:01 Sponsors: Maui Nui & Eight Sleep

00:19:09 Androgen Mutations, Feminization & Masculinization

00:22:04 SRY Gene; Animals & Sexual Trans-Differentiation

00:27:49 Hormones & Biological Brain Differentiation

00:31:22 Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Androstenedione; Stress & Pregnancy

00:35:56 Genes, Brain Differentiation & Sexual Identity; Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

00:43:37 Testosterone, Estrogen & Brain Circuits

00:47:27 Sponsors: AG1 & LMNT

00:50:36 Intersex Individuals, Castration

00:52:23 Female Sexual Behavior, Brain, Testosterone & Pheromones

00:57:58 Identify as Heterosexual or Homosexual, Difference in Hormone Levels?

01:00:42 Gender, Sexual Orientation & Hormones; Hormone Replacement Therapy

01:10:21 Aromatization; Steroid Hormones & Gene Expression

01:15:00 Kids & Changing Gender Identity

01:19:05 Sexual Behavior, Refractory Period & Male Brain, Tacr1 Cells

01:21:31 Sponsor: Function

01:23:19 Hypothalamus, Dopamine, Prolactin, Cabergoline, Libido, Dopamine

01:27:05 Brain Circuits, Aggression & Sexual Behavior

01:32:40 Refractory Period; Age, Testosterone & Libido

01:36:07 Tacr1 Cells in Females, Periaqueductal Gray & Innate Behaviors

01:40:00 Parenting Behaviors & Brain Circuits; Pet Dogs

01:43:12 Oxytocin, Pair Bonding, Vasopressin; Biological Redundancy

01:47:22 Libido, Melanocortin, Tacr1 Neurons; GLP-1 Agonists, Clinical Trials; Kisspeptin

01:56:43 Female Brain Changes, Menstrual Cycle, Pregnancy, Menopause; Estrogen; Men & Hormone Fluctuation?

02:04:10 Life Experience Male vs Female, Sex Recognition, Behaviors & Context

02:16:05 Pain Management; Endocrine Disrupters, Gender Identity

02:21:03 Future Projects

02:24:29 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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