neurology
In the brain, sex and gender each have distinct networks
Adobe
In a new study, researchers were able to predict a participant's sex or gender — albeit imperfectly — by looking at how different regions in their brain interacted with one another. It's science, not magic: the team used artificial intelligence to analyze data from MRI scans of thousands of children. Notably, the brain patterns that predicted sex (think biology) were not the same as the patterns that predicted gender (think identity).
"Moving forward, we really need to consider both sex and gender separately if we better want to understand the brain," said Elvisha Dhamala, the study's lead author. Read more from Jonathan on the study, the questions it leaves unanswered, and what we need going forward to better understand the brain.
first opinion
Long Covid ≠ functional neurological disorder
There's still a lot we don't know about long Covid. We don't have a single or defining cause for some of the condition's worst, long-lasting symptoms like overwhelming fatigue and cognitive deficits. Because of this, some experts have suggested that the existing diagnosis of functional neurological disorder could fill our gaps in understanding.
But three experts argue in a new First Opinion essay that this construct is largely based on speculation and assumption. There have always been people who experience troubling or disruptive symptoms that aren't easily categorized or explained. These patients are often dismissed, disbelieved, and neglected by the medical system. It's critical for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to follow the science, the authors write. Read more on the two intractable conditions.
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