Shaped by much previous research, the prevailing view regarding sex-specific differences in the brain is that they are caused by circulating sex hormones, which are generated outside the brain and influence certain aspects of brain development, as well as brain function in adults. But new findings, reported by a team including Dr. Eric Vilain of UCLA, now reveal a new dimension to the influence of sex determination on brain function. The research shows that a single sex-specific gene plays a direct role in the brain by acting in neurons themselves, in addition to exerting an influence on the brain from afar through the action of hormones.
