NEWS: BBC: Why men don't listen? / Brain's 'Funny Bone'

[janet paterson <janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Why men don't listen?

Tuesday, 28 November, 2000, 17:19 GMT - There may be a ring of truth in the 
female complaint that men never seem to listen to a word they say.

Researchers in the United States have found that men only listen with half 
their brain, while women use both sides.

The discovery may provide ammunition in arguments between the sexes in every 
living room and pub across the UK, but it could also help doctors treating 
stroke victims.

A second study has also found the brain's "funny bone" - it determines whether 
or not you have a sense of humour.

Listening skills

A listening study of 20 men and 20 women found men use the left side of the 
brain - traditionally associated with understanding language - to pick up 
conversations. But women also used the right side.

Dr Joseph T Lurito, assistant radiology professor at Indiana University School 
of Medicine, said: "I don't want to provoke a battle of the sexes. I just want 
people to realise that men and women may process language differently."

Presenting evidence at the Radiological Society of North America's annual 
meeting, he suggested women were not necessarily better listeners.

He said women may need to use more of their brain to listen to conversations, 
but said it could show women could listen to two conversations at once.

The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain 
activity by producing multi-dimensional images of blood flow to various parts 
of the brain.

Participants listened to excerpts from John Grisham's novel The Partner, while 
researchers monitored reactions.

Mood disorders

Researchers may also have identified the part of the brain that identifies a 
joke.

Dean Shibata, of the University of Rochester Medical School, told the Radiology 
Society conference that a small part of the frontal lobe appeared to be 
critical to finding a joke funny.

Mr Shibata said: "In the future, scans of the brain might be used routinely by 
psychiatrists to assess patients who have mood disorders such as depression, 
which often is accompanied by a loss of humour."

The study could also help to explain why strokes which affect the lower frontal 
lobes of the brain can lead to a personality change, including the loss of a 
sense of humour.

Treatment hope

Dr Veena Kumari, a senior psychologist at the Institute of Psychiatry in 
London, said the research would help to establish the cause of problems within 
the brain, which could then lead to treatment.

"It could be altered by altering the receptor functions and it could be treated 
by certain drugs."

She added she was not surprised women used both sides of their brain to listen.

"They use both parts of their brain more often for many things. Men have very 
clearly defined functions."


Related to this story:
Brain damage 'causes bad behaviour' (06 Nov 00 | Health)
Hyperactive children 'have different brains' (12 Nov 98 | Health)
Morals on the brain (19 Oct 99 | Sci/Tech)
Brain size linked to violence (04 Feb 00 | Health)
Laughter 'protects the heart' (15 Nov 00 | Health)

Internet links:
Institute of Psychiatry
The Stroke Association
The Radiological Society of North America

BBC News Online: Health


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