Louann Brizendine

Louann Brizendine M.D. (born December 30, 1952)^[1] is an American scientist, a neuropsychiatrist^[2] who is both a researcher and a clinician. She is the author of two books: The Female Brain, and The Male Brain (published in 2010).

Brizendine's research concerns women's moods and hormones. She graduated in neurobiology from UC Berkeley, attended Yale School of Medicine and completed a residency in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and is an endowed clinical professor. She joined the faculty of UCSF Medical Center at the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute in 1988 and now holds the Lynne- and Marc Benioff-endowed chair of psychiatry. At UCSF, Brizendine carries out clinical, teaching, writing and research activities.

In 1994 Brizendine founded the UCSF Women's Mood and Hormone Clinic,^[3] and continues to serve as its director.^[4]

Brizendine also teaches courses to medical students, residents and other physicians throughout the country, on the neurobiology of hormones, mood disorders, anxiety problems, and changes in sexual interest due to hormones.

Brizendine's book "The Female Brain" was reviewed both positively and negatively by numerous critics, especially one piece of content pertaining to linguistics and language. For more information, see The Female Brain. She later acknowledged that this book overemphasised gender-based differences, saying: "Males and females are more alike than they're differences. After all, we are the same species".^[5]

She has also written The Male Brain and admitted that her books emphasis the differences between men and women which has led to her 'best selling' success.^[2]

Education

Brizendine did her undergraduate work from 1972–76 at the University of California, Berkeley, where she received a B.A in neurobiology. She studied for her M.D. from 1976–81 at the Yale School of Medicine. She subsequently did a Residency in Psychiatry, MMHC, from 1982–85 at the Harvard Medical School.

Faculty appointments

From 1985–88, Brizendine was on the faculty at Harvard University, and from 1988 onwards at the University of California, San Francisco.

Publications

Books

• The Female Brain. Morgan Road/Broadway Books. 2006. ISBN 978-0-7679-2009-4. 
• The Male Brain. Three Rivers Press/Crown Publishing. 2010. ISBN 978-0-7679-2754-3. 

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louann Brizendine.

• Louann Brizendine website
• "The Female Brain" review by Deborah Tannen
• Louann Brizendine Video produced by Makers: Women Who Make America