THE MALE BRAIN By Louann Brizendine. New York: Harmony Books, 2010. Pp. xxi + 271.

$12.26

Louann Brizendine seeks to help readers understand the biological nature of the male
brain by presenting research findings and observations and connecting it with anecdotal evidence
from the consultations of her patients as an experienced neuropsychiatrist, as well as her own
personal experience with the opposite sex. Brizendine’s book contains scientific information
about the male brain from male infants to the elderly, and all the fluctuations of testosterone in
between. While enjoyable and easily readable for adult men and women, the work falls short in
overgeneralizing the male race and fails to account for exceptions on male thought, behavior, and
practice. Moreover, it has a tendency to reduce our healthy human sexual desires to purely ani-
malistic actions, which are arguably consequential in the real world.
While the extensive amount of research studies in this book are certainly valid, it does not
seem to take into account males who do not fit the claimed scientific norm that she references.
For example, Brizendine states that boys seeks out activities that produce a dopamine high in
their brain. “That’s why they love scary movies, haunted houses, and daring each other to take
risks” (22). While it is evident that some boys do enjoy these activities, what about the sensitive
boys who become more easily frightened during scary movies? Surely all boys and men do not
fit the standard male prototype that Brizendine mentions.
On another note, the often casual remarks Brizendine mentions regarding the necessity of
sexual activity could be consequential if this book fell into the hands of, say, a young adolescent
boy, for the “needs” and “necessity” regarding frequent sexual stimulation that Brizendine
speaks of is absurd. According to her research, “studies show that from puberty until men’s
midtwenties, [teen boys] may need to ejaculate one to three times a day…scientists believe that
this frequent sexual stimulation is biologically required to keep young men primed, fertile, and
ready to have “real sex” at the first opportunity” (49). This seems to conflict with her statement
that “men stay fertile for life” (116) later on in the book. In other words, if men are already wired
biologically to stay fertile for life, is there really a necessity for this excessive ejaculation she en-
courages?
Despite this book’s shortcomings, it had redeeming strengths. The amusing scenarios of
tangible situations provided opportunities for Brizendine to describe a play-by-play of hormones,
circuits, and responses in the male brain. In particular, testosterone, vasopressin, and the MIS
(Müllerian inhibiting substance) were identified as being significant hormones that together mas-
culinize not only the male body, but male-typical thoughts and behaviors as well. The female
brain, on the other hand, contains more “estrogen, progesterone, and oxytocin” (4) that feminizes
and affects female type behavior. These fundamental distinctions in the male brain are what
Brizendine aims to illuminate, helping readers to come to a deeper understanding of why men
and boys do what they do. This book is an insightful work of scientific findings on the male
brain and should be read by all adults, but with a grain of salt.

The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Lauren Thorp

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