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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