Neuroscience - Of course course neuroscience is there to undermine tea ideology

[mids2019]

Take it from a neuroscientist: searching for a ‘male’ and ‘female’ brain is a waste of time | Gina Rippon https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/22/male-female-brains-different-centuries

Ok so a bunch of neuroscientists use fMRI and AI to ascertain the difference between male and female brains in terms of blood flow patterns (or perfusion) as I can see it. I have worked in MR and this is pretty standard academic stuff but the catchy trial has caught the media's attention.

But.......of course linking any change of brain structure between men and women is just adding another biomarker that distinguishes male and female sex. The fact gender isn't used in the study is worrying this particular commentator and she basically argues against the scientific work (in my opinion because any differences found between brains would add yet another fundamental difference between men and women).

It is really condescending I think for someone to write an opinion dismissing the work of established academics when she I presume wasn't a reviewer and it smacks of certain academics wanting works that in any way finishes trans ideology banned.

I think the whole area is so complex and nuanced and reliant on understanding statistics and how scientific research can show bias that is really hard to understand what she's actually saying.

In the The podcast she's very clear that there are significant sex differences but the methodology they've been using and chasing for the last few decades is flawed, as well as not asking the right questions. Shes mostly criticising the way neuroscience has been working. And clearly an awful lot has been ignored in favour of the more sexy brain imaging "proof" that men are from mars and women from Venus.

I also believe that, as a woman in the field, she's very aware of how bad science in this area can be used in sexist ways to oppress women - that's the whole point of her work.

She's also worked with people like Joel and Fine (testosterone Rex) so must be aware of the importance of hormones.

sfonline.barnard.edu/eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-sex-gender-brains-and-behavior-a-guide-for-academics-journalists-parents-gender-diversity-advocates-social-justice-warriors-tweeters-facebookers-and-ever/

I'm too lazy to read about the elderly nun study, but are they doing elderly monk parallel research? They'd be two very comparable groups - both would have undergone a rigorous and often quite harsh 'foundation' process in their twenties, and since then have lived by a strict rule of work and prayer - if you picked people from the same order they could have had an almost identical rhythm of life and the same focuses of prayer and meditation, both daily and through the year, for decades.

I mean, as far as pop science goes, in the press, it's pretty much all pretty poor, yes? Which is fair to criticize, but in a lot of cases it's about reporting ambiguous or preliminary stuff as if it's far more significant than it is, and making exciting headlines.

Interesting, I always thought their argument was transwomen had women's brains?