Brain development is the difference between boys and girls

We know there are physical differences between a boy's brain and a girl's, both at birth and as children grow. Exactly how those differences affect behaviour and personality is still a mystery. For example, scientists say there probably is an area of the brain that propels many boys towards things that move and many girls towards nurturing but it has yet to be identified.During pregnancy, a boy is a little testosterone machine. In fact, male babies are born with as much testosterone as a 25-year-old man! After birth, testosterone plummets until a boy reaches puberty.Among its many other jobs, testosterone shapes a male's developing brain. It is believed that it decreases the connections between brain cells in some places and enhances them in others, making boys naturally likely to be better at some things than others.Girls make some testosterone before they're born, too, but not nearly as much as boys.

While girls do produce female hormones such as oestrogen, these seem to have little impact on their developing brains. In other words, girls have the brain that boys would have if theirs weren't reshaped by testosterone.Comparing boys' and girls' brains as they grow.Once girls and boys are born, their brains continue to take different paths. Scans show that some areas grow faster in female brains while others grow faster in male brains. This means that the brains of boys and girls who are the same age can be at different developmental stages. Eventually, they catch up with each other.Size also varies. Male brains grow slightly larger overall than female brains, although the significance of this isn't clear. Some research has shown that in girls, the region of the brain that helps control language and emotion tends to be bigger. The part of the brain that connects the two sides is also larger in girls than in boys.

Some scientists think this could mean that girls tend to use both the left and right sides to solve problems. Males on the other hand have been found to have a slightly bigger area of the brain that controls deeper emotions, such as fear.These seemingly small differences in brain structure don't necessarily mean boys will be better at certain things and girls at others. Young brains are extremely open to influence, and key areas grow or shrink depending on how they're used.Do boys and girls think differently?Boys and girls show very similar abilities. They are equally capable in maths, which suggests that the common gap in maths skills in later years is a product of culture, not biology.

Girls are somewhat better at memorising and reciting lists of words though, and they are slightly better at tasks that require finger dexterity and quick thinking. Boys have the upper hand with spatial tasks, such as arranging blocks to form patterns.Above all, the brain is flexible. Children build connections between brain cells, find fresh interests and hone new skills as they read, listen, watch and learn. A girl who plays exclusively with dolls one month might move on to construction toys and cars the next month. She may very well enjoy her bike and learn how to fix a chain. While a boy may never pour imaginary tea for a doll, he can learn how to take care of a pet and later raise a baby of his own. Nothing is set in stone!