Biomedical studies have traditionally used male animals and men as research subjects. That is a problem for everyone because for many diseases, there are sex differences in how they affect people.
A one-size-fits-all approach may not be best for treating cardiovascular disease. Taking sex chromosomes into account could make for more effective and equitable care.
Lise Eliot, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Rather than distinctly male or female, the human brain is much more like the heart, kidneys and lungs – basically the same no matter the sex of the body it’s in.
Gabrielle Belz, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) and Cyril Seillet, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
Women have evolved to have stronger immunity than men. But this comes with downsides -
women are more likely to have autoimmune diseases due to their “reactive” immune systems.
How can the same basic genome produce such different forms in the two sexes of a single species? It turns out one gene can encode for various things, depending on the order its instructions are read.
Victorian attitudes influenced what scientists thought they were observing about sexual behaviors in the animal world. But modern techniques reveal the myth for what it is.
Studies can’t predict an individual’s behavior. But meta-analyses of social science research turn up differences in men’s versus women’s leadership styles, on average.
Social stress is a main cause of depression, and women, in general, experience more stress than men. But new research suggests men may be more vulnerable to depression caused by stressful events.
Professor of Women’s Health Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, & Director of Research, Royal Women's Hospital, The University of Melbourne