While doing research as a medical student at Yale and then as a resident and faculty member at Harvard, Louann Brizendine discovered that almost all of the clinical data in existence on neurology, psychology, and neurobiology focused exclusively on males. In response to this, Brizendine established the first clinic in the country to study and treat women’s brains. At the same time, the National Institute of Health began to regularly include female subjects in its studies for the first time. The combined result has been an
explosion of new data on the female brain.

In The Female Brain, due out in August 2006, Dr. Brizendine answers questions like why are women more verbal than men? Why do women remember details of fights that men cannot? Why do women tend to form deeper bonds with their female friends than men do with their male counterparts? Exploring these questions and many others that have stumped the sexes throughout the ages, this revolutionary book combines two decades of Brizendine’s own work, real life stories from her clinical practice, and all of the latest information from the scientific community at large to provide a truly comprehensive look at the way women’s minds work.

LOUANN BRIZENDINE, M.D. is a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCSF. She is founder and director of the Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic, and lives in San Francisco. Here is a look at the table of contents

Chapter 1 Birth of the Female Brain
Chapter 2 Teen Girl Brain
Chapter 3 Love and Trust
Chapter 4 Sex
Chapter 5 Mommy Brain
Chapter 6 Emotions
Chapter 7 Mature Female Brain
Epilogue: The Future of the Female Brain
Appendix: The Female Brain and Hormone Therapy
Appendix: The Female Brain and Postpartum Depression

While I have yet to get my hands on a copy of the book, I have had an opportunity to bump into Louann several times over the past few years as she was writing this book. I must say I've rarely seen such dedication. Even if it was a beautiful Sausalito summer day, you could bet that she was busy exploring and explaining the inner workings of the female brain. Given the paucity of accessible information and esteemed nature of the author I would suggest that this will quickly become a must read for all of us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zack Lynch, managing director of NeuroInsights, is an economic and social forecaster advising global organizations on the impact of neurotechnology on business, government and society. He serves on the advisory boards of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT,Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics, Global Neuroscience Initiative, the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies and SocialText, a social software company. He is currently finishing his book on Neurosociety: How Brain Science Is Shaping the Future of Business, Politics and Culture.